Six Sheldons
by hazelra7
Summary: Sheldon just ended his Skype call with Amy confused as ever.If only he could get some advice. As if on cue, the room is filled with five copies of himself, each from an alternate universe and each with their own stories and histories on how they met Amy Farrah Fowler. Can Sheldon learn from these geniuses and see how his choices and actions have affected his own life?
1. Chapter 1:Gathering of Sheldons

**Six Sheldon's**

 **Chapter One: The Gathering of Sheldons**

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 **I want to thank ShAmy4ver for all her help, edits and late night emails. Without her, this story would have never seen the light of day.**

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"She wants to take a step back, Gollum." Sheldon continued to rub the little black box and eye the heirloom ring he had got for the woman who had just told him that she wanted to reevaluate their relationship.

"What is there to reevaluate?" Sheldon looked again at the couch for someone to help him decipher this mess, but he was alone. He hated not knowing something, and for this befuddling situation, he needed a friend. He had no one to tell him what he did wrong or better, how to fix it.

"A step back!" Sheldon snapped the velvet black box closed and shoved it back in the drawer with a hard slam. All he wanted to do was to sit in his favorite spot, drink a mug of tea and think over what could possibly be going through that beguiling brunette's head that she would need time to think over their perfect 8.2 relationship.

Everything had been going so well for their 5 year anniversary. Dinner was marvelous and far less tedious that Sheldon had anticipated. Amy seemed elated the whole evening. She had her happy face on that Sheldon loved so much. They were even kissing and not just signaling the end of the date. Oh no, heavy teenager type kissing that could have led to more if she hadn't interrupted things by stating the obvious. She was the one who broke the kiss to say that she couldn't believe they had been together for five years. FIVE YEARS! That's a long commitment! Just like watching a TV show, Sheldon thought.

All he had asked was a simple question and suddenly, angry face Amy busted up the date. The lack of a phone call from her the next day was the true red flag that something was wrong. Sheldon had thought that nothing was worse than angry Amy face, but then like a gut punch, the image of her disappointed face on the screen saying she needed time to think over their relationship felt like his heart was flayed.

Sheldon had his eyes closed as he thought about the look in hers; empty, lost and that familiar deadened green he saw whenever he did something wrong. He heard a familiar snap, like the black velvet box closing again, but instead when he looked up he saw himself sitting in his spot on the couch, only this time he was wearing his Red Flash shirt. Just the image made his gut flip again. He must be hallucinating due to stress.

Sheldon froze, completely muddled by the other figure who seemed to be a copy of him in every detail. Next moment, another Sheldon showed up in the room with a pop, and another, each one accompanied by a whip like snap. The room echoed with the crackle of electricity with each arrival.

Within a minute, he was looking at five versions of himself, each with the same confused look as he.

All six Sheldon's looked at each other in disbelief. Finally, the idea of someone sitting in his spot, no matter how dashing, was too much for Sheldon to take.

"Um, excuse me… You're in my spot." Sheldon crossed his arms and glared at this doppelganger. The other Sheldon wearing his prized Flash t-shirt glared back and crossed his arms to mirror him.

"No... this is my spot."

Another Sheldon wearing a green shirt and sitting on the left of the couch piped into the fray, "No! It's mine! Who are you?"

"Dr Sheldon Cooper, of course." Sheldon answered an eye roll and inched toward his spot with a determined glare, but it was returned.

Yet another one laid claim to the name, "I'm Dr. Sheldon Cooper! Who are you?" The one in the green shirt asked the Sheldon standing behind the beige Sheldon had on the No. 73 shirt Sheldon loved so much.

"I'm Dr. Sheldon Cooper!" He answered too confidently for Sheldon's taste.

"No, I am!" This Sheldon was thin, and his face was grey like a used tea bag. He was wearing the yellow t-shirt with squares which did nothing to help his complexion. He inched toward the spot as well, but seeing it was occupied by a fake Sheldon, he thought it best to lean against the couch arm instead.

"Oh boy are you all confused. I am Dr. Cooper." The Sheldon wearing the Flash shirt was adamant, but the rest of the group just rolled their eyes and gave him envious stares that he was in THE SPOT!

"This is crazy!" The last voice was lower than the rest. The five Sheldon's turned around to see a Sheldon unlike the others. He was wearing a black V-neck sweater, with pushed up sleeves that showed off muscles which were bulging through his sweater. However, his most distinctive feature was a deep voice and thick Texan drawl. "We'all can't be Sheldon Cooper!"

Sheldon finally deduced the dilemma. He gave a little jump of joy, smiled and snapped his fingers, "Oh boy! Is this an alternate universe? Are you all different versions of me?"

The Sheldon with the yellow shirt and in desperate need of a decent meal spoke up from the arm of the couch nearest the door, "You mean like parallel worlds? Incredible! I always dreamed, but oh my stars! This means String theory is right! Multi-universes exist! This is paradigm shifting."

"You are all different versions of me! I knew we could cross the barrier between dimensions! Oh this is marvelous! How did this happen?" This Sheldon wore the green shirt, with some unknown character on it. He also wore a huge innocent smile that quickly faded when Sheldon laid into him.

Sheldon snorted and rolled his eyes, "Okay, you're not getting a Nobel anytime soon. What do you mean how did this happen? The barrier between alternate universes has been collapsed by the use of some type of device or localized portal that caused a merging of parallel worlds. I wonder why only 6 of us? Not enough power?" Sheldon started to look around the room for some kind of device, but there was none to be found. He noticed the room he was in was not his own; little things were out of place or strange items he had never seen before. He also noticed a small crayon or pen marks on the beige chair. He must have been transported to one of the other Sheldon's worlds and he was itching to find out which one.

The insulted Sheldon in the green shirt snorted back at him, "Well, Mr. Nobel prize, you haven't figured it out yet? I never knew I was such an ass!"

The composed Sheldon with the Blue No 73 shirt let out a chuckle and leaned against the wall near a whiteboard. He was watching all the interactions in the room like it was a play. He seemed so calm for a person who had just been transported to another world. Sheldon walked up him and eyed him up and down like he was looking in a mirror. Without warning, Sheldon poked a spot on his ribs. The other Sheldon in the number 73 shirt let out a yelp.

"HEY! That tickles!"

Sheldon turned back to the group to yell out his discovery, "It is me! That's my secret tickle spot!" Sheldon was thrilled, but the other Sheldon, not so much.

"Back off you weirdo!" He inched behind the white board to use it as a shield.

Sheldon snorted with haughty derision, walked toward his seat on the couch and yelled at the Flash shirted Sheldon to get out.

"No it's my spot! You guys are alternate versions of me!"

"HA! I am the real Sheldon Cooper, you are all merely copies and I might add some better than others." The green shirted Sheldon looked at the skinny Sheldon then the bulky Sheldon near the desk. Both glowered at him.

The Sheldon who had been standing quietly by the whiteboard suddenly put his face in his hands, and announced loudly, "You are all acting like teenagers! No one is the real Sheldon! THAT'S HOW PARALLEL WORLDS WORK! And no one gets to sit in the spot! Get out!" He had a commanding tone that the group hadn't heard since their father was alive.

The Sheldon with the Flash shirt got out of the spot and sat in the beige chair as he said, "Fine! Mr. Bossy! However I think we need nick names so that we can keep everything straight. You can be bossy Sheldon, this one here is skinny Sheldon! That's grumpy and if anyone is Sneezy, I'm leaving!"

"Hey who are you calling skinny Sheldon! You're not exactly a tubster either, pal! We all can't be like that one!" The skinny Sheldon in the yellow shirt pointed over to the only Sheldon not wearing a comic book themed t-shirt. He was quiet, just watching the display as if he were viewing a TV Show.

The "bossy" Sheldon in the No. 73 shirt had an idea, "Okay. What if we assign numbers to each of us? Like one through six. The person who draws one is the base line, and we all see how we have deviated from his timeline. We can draw straws so it will be fair."

The other Sheldon's looked at each and nodded their heads in agreement. Calling each other skinny Sheldon or bossy Sheldon was not going to work. The Sheldon with the idea grabbed 6 Popsicle sticks and wrote the numbers 1 through 6 on them. He tossed them around behind his back and then each Sheldon drew a stick.

Sheldon drew number One from the handful of sticks. He knew, of course they were all based off him; he was a marvel after all. The baseline for all things good and right with the world. He wondered as the other numbers were handed out, had these Sheldon's just had the heart ripped out by Amy Farrah Fowler? Would they have a Nobel? Finished the Lego Death Star? Gotten Leonard to stop using the urine collection cup for pancakes? All these question flooded his mind.

The next Sheldon in the red Flash shirt, Sheldon Two, was curious as well. How had these Sheldon's reacted when Amy moved in across the hall in 2007? Did they screw it up like he had for so long, or were they all happily married by now. How did they handle her cravings for corn dogs at 2:00 AM? Or the shift in their living arrangements? There was one Sheldon, Sheldon Three, the one wearing the green shirt who couldn't get the smile off his face. He seemed blissful, almost in a daze. Sheldon Two thought him odd, but strangely calm.

Sheldon Three was just elated by everything. He had just met the love of his life, he was on track for a Nobel, his bowel movement ran like a German train schedule and to top it off, it had been confirmed before his eyes that alternate universes really did exist. He couldn't wait to hear the details of these Sheldon's lives although he had to admit, none could possibly be as good as his. He couldn't wipe the smile off his face.

Skinny Sheldon in the yellow shirt drew his number: Four. He hated it; not even prime. The Chinese were right, 4 sucks. A stupid number for a stupid exercise. Why all the fuss? Couldn't they all just get out of this timeline without having to know every little thing? Although, he had to admit, being called number Four was much better than _Skinny_ Sheldon. He looked around at the other Sheldon's and they did seem healthy and worse even happy. They **all** must be deluded, he thought. Well, most of them looked happy. Bulky Sheldon seemed sad, almost lost, but there was no denying he looked healthy. Yes they all certainly did look very healthy. They probably still had Leonard fetching their food and having communal meals with lively conversation. He didn't need that. He didn't need anything. He just wanted this all to be over with quickly so he could get back to sleep.

Bossy Sheldon in the No. 73 shirt drew number Five, and was the most serene of the bunch. He was also the one with the great idea on using the number system to track the Sheldon's. He was already setting up the whiteboard to start a timeline. He seemed older, although that was impossible. Each of these Sheldon's had to have been born on the same day. Another Sheldon, born earlier or later wouldn't be a Sheldon at all, but another person entirely. This Sheldon however was cloaked in an aura of authority and knowledge that the others seemed to lack.

The Sheldon with the V neck sweater and bulging muscles, now known as number Six, didn't even bother to draw his stick. He just sat down in the desk chair vacated by Sheldon One and just watched, silently. He let out a few snorts of disparagement or shook his head in disagreement. Sheldon One finally figured out what his problem was.

"I get it! You're him! If there are an infinite number of parallel universes, in one of then there's probably a Sheldon who doesn't believe parallel universes exist."

Sheldon Six finally spoke, "Ok, I'll play along. Parallel worlds are nothin' but hokum. Pure and simple."

Sheldon One snapped his fingers and grinned as if had he just met a celebrity, "That's you! The non-believer! Oh my! At least it's better than an alternate reality that has a clown with six heads and candy hands."

"Gross!" Sheldon Three looked disgusted, "Why on earth would a clown have candy hands?"

"To tempt children to steal their souls. That is the only reason to have clowns."

"I don't think I like your parallel world, number One. Not at all!" Sheldon Three inched his way over to his spot but Sheldon Five shook his head and placed the whiteboard squarely on the spot to stop any more cat fights over the real estate. A collective groan was heard throughout the room.

There were multiple conversations going at once: What shows did you watch? Did you like Red Vines? Do you like BBQ burgers on Tuesday? I do too! It was a group of sorority sisters all kibitzing on the same likes and dislikes. It was tedious. Sheldon Five put a stop to it. He started up the time line and got the unruly crew in order.

"Okay, listen up! I don't know how long we've got, so let's make it quick. First off, I think we should agree all science discussion is **off the table**."

Number Four scrunched up his nose, "First off… I **HATE** that expression. Next, why not? What we have before us is a Salon of the most brilliant minds any of our universes have ever known! We should use this time and work out the mysteries of the universe!"

Number Five was unwavering, "Look, if I have a secrets to say… Cold Fusion… and you guys don't, I will be altering your time line! Does the Prime Directive mean nothing to you!"

"Cold Fusion? That argument is reductio ad absurdum. Cold fusion.." Sheldon Four snorted with derision.

"It is ridiculous, but he makes a good point. I agree, the Prime Directive does apply!" Sheldon One nodded his head.

Sheldon Five smirked, "Right… ridiculous. Anyway, agreed? No science?"

There was grumble through the room, but eventually the group of Sheldons agreed: No Science would be discussed.

Sheldon Five started to lead the group again, "Good, now…"

Sheldon Three started to whine and cut him off, "But what will we talk about? Worst alternate universe gathering ever!"

"Now now, don't fuss. There is plenty to discuss. Starting with the best subject just below physics! US!"

"HERE! HERE!" The group cheered.

Sheldon Five continued to direct the group like a coach, "Okay… Number One: Front and center. Tell us everything so we can get it all out. And don't make yourself sound better than you really are, because we will know."

"I don't do that! I never have to exaggerate my brilliance." Sheldon One raised his brow, but the groan of the group caused him to frown.

"Yeah… Like that. Don't do that. Now, get on with it!"

Sheldon Five wrote on the white board like a seasoned teacher as Sheldon One gave a base line for the group.

Sheldon One gave his birthday, birthplace and mother and father's info. They were all the same as the rest of the group. They all had a twin sister Missy and an older brother George. They all graduated at 11 and then went off to college. Sheldon Six shook his head for the first time and for anything after the age of 11 he was quiet and pensive.

Sheldon Two was completely disappointed "Well, I had expected something excitingly different from our lives. Maybe one of would be an exotic dancer or something. Hey maybe muscles is one?"

Sheldon Six narrowed his eyes to slits and bellowed back to the group, "No I am not! Exotic dancer… Please…Just because I work out every day… Oh never mind…" Sheldon Six crossed his large arms and glared at the group.

Sheldon Five had an explanation and he said timidly, "Well… If one of us closed the barrier, we probably found Sheldons that had not deviated too far from each other. We will be very similar. If we expanded the field, who knows what the net would have caught?"

"It's like someone was fishing for us!" Sheldon Four looked around and wondered who among them did this experiment. He was beyond envious over the scientific know-how to do so. "If one of had a bigger net so to speak, that person might have caught all sorts of unsavory types!" Sheldon Four narrowed his eyes on Sheldon Six.

Sheldon Two let out a chuckle, "Yeah, we could be sitting here now with exotic dancers Sheldons, rocks star SHeldons, even geologist Sheldons or worse stupid Sheldons!"

Sheldon One waved his hand, "They are one in the same, number Two…There is not a universe that **we** would ever be stupid or geologists! I stand my ground on that point."

The group cheered back, "HERE! HERE!"

Sheldon Two was crestfallen, "Well, darn it… This is as boring as one of Amy's Little House on the Prairie shows!" but as soon as the name Amy was mentioned, all the other Sheldon's faces lit up like lights on the Vegas strip but Sheldon SIx said nothing. He just looked quizzically at the group's reaction.

"Amy! You have an Amy too!" Sheldon Three was almost jumping off the couch.

Sheldon Two looked flummoxed, "Of course, Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler. She moved in across the hall in 2007! I've been with her for 8 years. Well… 6 and ½ officially, but we count 8 because we call the first year and half my learning curve."

Sheldon One looked amazed, "Moved in across the hall? What happened to Penny? She was supposed to live there." Sheldon Four nodded in agreement.

Sheldon Two was confused, "Penny? The waitress? She lived up in 5A for a while with Bernadette, till Bernadette got married. Now she lives with Leonard across the hall."

Sheldon Three was gob smacked, "Bernadette? Married? To Raj?"

Sheldon One, Two, Four and Five all yelled at the same time, "NO! Howard!"

"HOWARD! No way! That's just crazy talk!" Sheldon Three needed a moment to process. "I guess since her dalliance with Raj didn't work out, that would be possible, but Wolowitz married?"

Sheldon One snorted and let out a chuckle, "In my world, he's an astronaut!"

"You're just making stuff now to tease us! Howard… Wolowitz… In space…" Sheldon Three started starting laughing hysterically till Sheldon's One, Two and Five nodded their heads in agreement with Sheldon One.

"That's crazy!"

Sheldon Two held his temples trying to process the differences, "No what's crazy is a world _without_ Amy across the hall. I don't know how I could deal with that! Oh lordy."

Sheldon One was amazed, "Remarkable! In my world, Penny lived across the hall."

"Mine too!" Sheldon Three and Four both chimed in.

"Does Penny steal your milk too?" Sheldon One smiled, leaning toward Sheldon Three and Four.

"Yes! As a matter of fact, I keep the milk in the orange juice carton now, and I put chalk water in the milk carton. She didn't notice for 3 weeks!" Sheldon Three was very proud he thought of that trick.

"Ha! That's genius!" Sheldon One was scheming to fix his fridge and hide his milk as soon as he got back to his world.

Sheldon Four suddenly looked saddened, "I don't have to worry about that anymore."

"Why? Did she and Leonard finally get married?" Sheldon Three had been waiting for years for that to happen, and it could not come a moment too soon for him. The back and forth affair of those two was getting tiresome.

Sheldon Five slapped the back of the couch, "Go on now, they get married? The day Leonard and Penny finally get married, the show is over my friends. I just can't imagine it. They're all talk."

Sheldon One grew a smile, "Well, as a matter of fact, in my world, Penny and Leonard have just taken off to Vegas to get married on a lark not less than a few hours ago."

Sheldon One looked at the door with a slight smile that quickly faded, "I was happy for them. At least they know where they stand." Sheldon licked his lips and looked down at his hands.

Sheldon Two shook his head with acknowledgement. He knew that face, he had seen it reflected in the mirror too many times over the last 8 years, "Oh god, how did you screw it up with Amy?"

Sheldon One was incensed, "How on earth do you know I screwed things up with Amy? Maybe she screwed things up, huh? Maybe she is being unreasonable after just one simple question?" Sheldon One looked around for sympathy, but none was offered.

"Nope. It's you. It's always you. Don't worry, you'll get used to it." Sheldon Five smiled with the knowledge that 15 years with Amy had taught him: It was always his fault. His opinion was shared by two others in the group, Sheldon Three and to some extent, Sheldon Two as well.

Sheldon Four just looked away and grumbled something under his breath. Sheldon Six watched it all, intrigued, but never said a word.

Sheldon Five pulled the board off the spot and gestured to Sheldon One, "Take our seat in **our** spot and tell us your tale. We will all take turns and since you're number One, you can start. I have a feeling that Amy Farrah Fowler will be a running theme in all our stories."

Sheldon One sat in his spot and let out a huge sigh. "Have any of you seen the Flash?"

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 **A/N: I hope you liked the start to this story! Its going to be about 15 chapters with back stories and Epilogues for each one. Just a little recap:**

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 **Sheldon One: He is the Sheldon from the Show. This story takes place minutes after the Skype call ended from the Finale.**

 **Sheldon Two: He is from my Big Reversal Theory: The Vixen in 4B story. You will find out how he did with Amy and how their lives are now, 6 years later.**

 **Sheldon Three: Let's just call him happy. You will find out in chapter 3 why!**

 **Sheldon Four: He is the polar opposite of Sheldon Three. You will find out why in Chapter 5.**

 **Sheldon Five: This is the Sheldon from my Caustic Cohabitation Conundrum. He is the one who met Amy when he was 21 at Harvard. This is 15 years later and a lot of changes have happened.**

 **Sheldon Six: Non-believer. His story will unfold later, but he is unlike them all.**

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 **I hope you stick through this crazy ride. After Chapter two, it will be less confusing who the Sheldons are.**

 **The point of this story is that Sheldon from the show will only listen to a select few people in his life. Who better to give him advice on Amy then a room filled with the most intelligent person he knows: HIMSELF!**

 **Thanks for reading I would really love to know what you think. It's been a labor of love to write this story. I hope you enjoy it!**


	2. Chapter 2: Love Gone in a Flash

**Six Sheldon's**

 **Chapter Two: Love Gone in a Flash**

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A quiet fell over the room as the six Sheldon's gathered around to hear Sheldon's One's tale. Even stoic Sheldon Six seemed interested in what he had to say. Sheldon One sank into 'his spot', but for some reason it didn't feel right. It should feel the same; the leather had the same soft buttery feel and the cushion a perfect cradle for the coccyx. The striped cushion behind his back was similar too. However, it all seemed older, like it had been in this spot for years before his own favorite point in the universe had been discovered.

He tried to ignore the uncomfortable feeling under him, but this was nothing compared to the feeling in his head and heart. He knew he had done something wrong with Amy, but he was at a loss as to what. How his favorite spot and favorite person could be so familiar to him, yet such a mystery was vexing to him.

Sheldon One took a deep sigh, "Well, she said she wanted to take a break and um… reevaluate the relationship, whatever _THAT_ means!"

Sheldon Two blinked slowly, and leaned back in the armchair as if he were already exhausted by the machinations of Sheldon One's life, "Its means, you were probably drowning in the sea of narcissism, and she is throwing you a life line. Be lucky she didn't end it there and then!"

Sheldon Five could see the pain on Sheldon One's face, "Hey, leave him be. Let him tell his story, then we can get back to how his clueless actions probably ruined the best relationship in his life, okay number One?" He smiled, but Sheldon One just snarled at him. He was glad to drop the subject of Amy; for now...

Having already covered the basics to establish the timeline, Sheldon One expanded on the stories of his upbringing, bits his brilliant work and how he had met his friends. He kept his comments brief, but informative and he certainly didn't tell them too much about his theories. They were his own, and not to be shared, even with "himself". He didn't need the Prime Directive to tell him not to share. He went through the major accomplishments of his life: Stephenson Award, Chancellor Award, etc. He told the group he was on track for the Nobel.

Sheldon Six rolled his eyes, "Yeah, buddy… we all are on track for a Nobel."

Sheldon Two piped in, "Well, some closer than others, Debbie downer!"

Sheldon Six snarled at him nearly bearing his teeth. Sheldon Two shuddered, and looked away wondering if Sheldon Six had been the tormentor, rather the tormented growing up.

Sheldon One continued and the other Sheldons started to add on to his story, completely ignoring that he was supposed to tell his tale of how he lost Amy.

As anticipated, most of the Sheldon's stories were similar as far as tastes, interests and life choices. All had a Leonard as a best friend, and there was some banter about their meeting and his annoying habits. Other than living arrangements, all the changes in their lives seem to boil down to meeting Amy. They all described the same woman: same warm smile, same propensity for cardigans, allergy for avocados and love of Neil Diamond.

Sheldon Five deviated from the timeline first, meeting Amy at Harvard at the age of 21. Sheldon Two's life was different when Amy moved in next door in 2007. Sheldon Three had only met Amy a few months ago, but was already dating her, vigorously he had to add much to the chagrin of Sheldon Four who couldn't help but tell him to keep it in his pants for once. Sheldon Four's life was the most similar to Sheldon One. Neither Sheldon Two nor Three could believe Sheldon's One and Four had met a woman on an internet dating site.

"Let me get this straight. You were blackmailed into meeting her. So, if Raj hadn't forced you with that soiled hosiery, you would never have met Amy?" Sheldon Two could not imagine not meeting Amy.

Sheldon Three still couldn't get over the fact that the threat of a dirty sock had worked. He turned to face the man beside him he asked "Really, a dirty sock? Oh man, I would say you are crazy, but mom had us tested. She **did** have you tested right?"

"YES! She had me tested!" Sheldon One was none too pleased to be thinking that these Sheldon's had the same mother as he. Just as he was unwilling to share her with his friends, why would he want to think of anyone having a mom as great as his as well. However he had to remind himself, parallel worlds meant their mothers were likely to be different.

Sheldon Three popped in, "I still think you are crazy! I would have just counter-blackmailed him, by threatening to tell his father about the amount of spending he does. I mean, I do Raj's taxes. How could he think he could write off a helicopter drone as an expense for an astronomer?"

Sheldon One thought about it, "Um… I should have thought of that… But then I never would have…" He stopped talking and bit his lip nervously as he mulled over the implications. "Maybe that would have been better." He rubbed his fingers where his wedding band might have been if she said yes, looking in envy at Sheldon's Two's hand with the gold band. His envious glance was interrupted by Sheldon Four's shrill voice.

"I can wholeheartedly agree. **Not** meeting Amy Farrah Fowler would have been the best thing ever." Sheldon Four nodded from the arm of the couch. He had agreed with everything in Sheldon One's story, up to the point of the fight over the table. Sheldons Three and Two almost threw a pillow at his head.

"Are you nuts?" Sheldon Two thought he had heard it all, "Amy is **best** thing that ever happened to me. If it weren't for her, I would have been drunk at the Chancellor dinner! Or never worked with Smoot."

Sheldon One looked confused, "You weren't drunk at that awards dinner? I took off my pants and showed the world Uranus." He blushed, but all the Sheldon's understood how they acted when they consumed alcohol. One voice thought the whole affair was terribly amusing.

Sheldon Six let out a laugh but quickly returned to his stoic self.

Sheldon One glared at him, "ANYWAY!" He continued his story about his life for the last few years. They had all met Professor Proton, and worked at Caltech for years. Sheldon One told them about meeting Stephen Hawking the first time, and then Sheldon Two interrupted him again.

"Wait, you did what in order to get to meet Hawking? A French maid's outfit?"

Sheldon One hated remembering his disgrace, but these men would know his pain, hopefully. "I wore a French maid's outfit. It was humiliating, but I was willing to do anything." He stopped talking when Sheldon Two started to laugh. Sheldon Four who had done the same to get a meeting with Hawking was also confused, "What is so funny? Did you ever get to meet him, number Two?"

"Oh sure. He and I work together all the time. He thinks Amy is hysterical and she beats the pants off him at Words with Friends. She **made** Howard introduce us." Sheldon Two sat back and thought for a moment, "Huh. Now I know what that fiendish little Cosmonaut had planned all along! He said he would make me suffer…"

Sheldon Four had to ask, "How did Amy get Howard to introduce you to him? Howard was adamant, no Hawking."

Sheldon Two was beaming with pride, "When Amy heard that Howard was going to make me his personal slave, she told him no way and ended the torment before it started. Much earlier, like years earlier, Amy had made Howard promise to do her a favor when she first met him. She had waited 4 years to use it. God I love that woman. She has the same patience for revenge that I do. You should have seen Howard's face when she reminded him that he owed her for introducing him to her cousin Irene."

Sheldon One was confused, "Cousin Irene is dead. Along with Cousin William. Something about pepper and carbon monoxide with bridesmaids' dresses."

"Amy's cousin William wears bridesmaids' dresses?" Sheldon Six was completely lost.

Sheldon Two corrected him, "Nope, no dresses, that was Irene. By the way, Cousin William is a train enthusiast and he was great to talk to at Irene's wedding and ours."

Sheldon One was amazed. Two of the most embarrassing events in his life had been thwarted by Amy of this alternate universe. How she defends him in any universe is uncanny.

"What about new heavy element?" One asked.

Sheldon Four jumped in, "Yeah, did your _perfect_ Amy save you from that humiliation as well!?" He nearly snarled his question.

Sheldon Two and Three were at a loss, they had never had that idea, but Sheldon Four knew exactly what number One was talking about, "Amy tried to tell me about the math, but I told her that the only math a biologist would know…"

Sheldon One slumped down, "Is if you have three frogs, and one frog leaves you have two frogs. I know the joke." He looked to Sheldon Five who shook his head.

Sheldon Five had some sympathy, "I had that idea too, but Amy caught the error. She checks all my work before I publish. I do the same for her work."

Sheldon Two nodded in agreement, "We do too, though it took a while for me to trust her calculations." However Sheldon Two was confused, "Wait, you've been dating for how many years?" He turned to Sheldon One.

"5 years. We just celebrated our anniversary last night. Everything was great. We were on the couch, we were even… You know…." He looked away and blushed, but Sheldon Three snickered.

"Making love? Oh man. I so want to make to love on the couch. We started on the couch that first night…"

Sheldon One cut off Sheldon Three's sexy reminiscing, "NO! My god! What do you think we are, a bunch of grunting teenagers?" He looked at Sheldon Three who blushed, as did Sheldon Five. There was no sympathy to be found from Sheldon Two either.

Only Sheldon Four looked at him and nodded. "Good for you! Stick to your guns, buddy! Coitus is nothing but a disgusting exchange of bodily fluids that can only result in disease or worse… stickiness." He looked disgusted, but the rest just looked at as if he were nuts. Even Sheldon Six shrugged his shoulders, but added nothing to the conversation.

Sheldon One slumped down. Of all the Sheldons to defend him, the last one he wanted to do so was skinny Sheldon Four!

Sheldon Five interrupted, "Okay, this is getting us nowhere. Just tell your story. We will all have a chance to tell ours when the time comes. Details may vary…" He shot a glaring look at Sheldon Three who turned away with a blush and sly grin.

Sheldon One took a large breath and started again, "It was our 5th anniversary night. We had had dinner, everything was wonderful. In fact things had been going great between us for months. Amy and I were seated on the couch and I reached out and touched her hand. She gave me that look, you know the one…"

All 4 Sheldons, even bitter Sheldon Four smiled and said simultaneously with a breathy sigh, "Yeah…" Sheldon Six just watched the whole display and rolled his eyes.

"Anyway. I told her I loved her again." Sheldon One stopped, and thought for a moment, "Or… I thought I told her. Anyway, I was thinking it, that's what counts."

Sheldon Five interrupted, "It doesn't count. Believe me." He threw up his eyes and then shook his head. Looking like he knew from which he spoke.

Sheldon One continued, "Well I would have but then she leaned in and kissed me before I could say a word. Not like our date night kisses either. She put her hands on my neck and I inched toward her. My mind was spinning. I just didn't want to screw it up. It was our first make out session and I wanted it to be perfect, you know."

"YOUR FIRST?! You've been together for 5 years! What the heck is wrong with you!?" Sheldon Three screeched at him, but Sheldon Five hushed him up.

"Shh! Let him finish!" He turned back to Sheldon One, "Okay number One… tell us about your completely overdue make out session and how you ruined it." He smiled, but Sheldon One looked muddled by this statement.

"Well.. Amy said… I can't believe we have been together for 5 years. I said I couldn't believe it either."

"I can't either…" Sheldon Three rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He was already bored.

"Shhh. Let him speak!" Sheldon Five needed a whip to keep this group in line.

Sheldon One continued, "Well, I was thinking about things, ya know… commitment and so forth. So I asked her if I should watch the Flash."

Sheldon Four couldn't believe his ears, "And she broke up with you over that? Please. That woman's unhinged. It was a simple question! Don't watch Flash, by the way, it's not worth your time. Never commit to a TV show unless you know it's going to finish! That's what I learned. You get so excited for a new show. You look forward to it, hope for it, and arrange your life around it. It takes effort that no one appreciates!"

Sheldon One agreed, "He's right, it's a big commitment!"

"Exactly! You watch, and slowly you get involved in the characters and the plot so much so you actually care what happens to them. Then what do they do? Fox cancels it! Or worse, the plot gets boring, they kill off a major character or they just plain suck! Think of Hero's and Smallville. V and the 4400!"

"OR Alphas!" Sheldon Three happily added.

Sheldon Five piped in, "Alphas isn't canceled, but season 2 is terrible."

Sheldon Four nodded his head, "Exactly, not worth your time. Stick to the classics you know. Star Trek. Just watch Star Trek. Star Trek doesn't get canceled."

Sheldon One looked confused, "Um... Actually it did... 1969?"

Sheldon Four rolled his eyes, "You know what I mean."

Sheldon Five offered a smile at the rant of Sheldon Four. He turned back to Sheldon One and asked, "So, while you are kissing your girlfriend, you are thinking of a TV show?"

Sheldon One crossed his arms and jutted out his jaw, "Among other things…"

"Were any of them about your girl, Amy?" Sheldon Six bellowed from the other side of the room. He had to say something. "Remember her… the one you were kissing?"

Sheldon One rolled his eyes much like a tenured professor would when asked a stupid question by a freshman, "Yes, I asked _her_ opinion on the Flash, weren't you listening?"

At this point Sheldon Six slapped his forehead and shook his head in disbelief.

Sheldon Two cocked his head, "So you were worried about the commitment to the show, not thinking about the show itself?"

"Exactly!" Sheldon One let out a sigh, hoping for some sympathy where none would be found except apparently from the unlikely source of Sheldon Two.

Sheldon Two tapped his chin, "Hmmm…" He nodded as he spoke, "You brought it up while you kissing Amy because you were thinking of your commitment to her, and then what the commitment would be to watch the show and just followed the train of thought."

Sheldon One thought this was as good an answer as any, "Um sure… I think…"

Sheldon Two smiled, "My Amy would have caught that. She would have realized you were just worried about commitment issues, not a show. "

While Sheldon Two was talking, Sheldon Four was mocking him by rolling his eyes and mouthing the words, " _My Amy would have caught that…_ " Sheldon Three couldn't help but snicker.

Sheldon Two was completely unaware of Sheldon Four's taunts as he continued to ask Sheldon One about the evening, "Tell me, are you going to ask her to marry you fairly soon?"

Sheldon One looked ghostly white and stared at the desk that housed his ring for Amy, "How could you know that? I already have the ring." He looked down at Sheldon's Two's hands and noticed the wedding ring almost embedded in his finger. He looked up at him, wondering how he got her to say yes.

Sheldon Two smiled, "How do I know that? Well… I'm you! More importantly, I know how your mind works. You probably went through a hundred things while you were kissing her. One of which was a commitment and that ring that is haunting you. Your Amy doesn't know you well enough to read your mind like mine does." He smirked, but Sheldon One was having none of it.

"My Amy is smart as whip and knows me better than anyone. She is patient, that's all. She knows enough not to push me for things I'm not ready for. I don't know how you can sit there and make any comments about my Amy! She's perfect." He was ready for fight.

Sheldon Two barked back at him, "Well, if she so perfect, how come she needs time to think about the relationship, huh? Maybe she is perfect, and the problem is you, pal!"

Sheldon Five had to calm the situation down, "Okay… Okay… Everyone's Amy is great… Well. My Amy is the best, but you'll find out why later. Anyway. Number One, why did it take you so long to get intimate with your Amy? Do you have a medical condition?"

He looked with scrutiny down at Sheldon One's pants, but Sheldon One crossed his legs.

"NO! I just..." He swallowed and then shrugged his shoulders, "I just don't want to lose myself in a relationship. I need my mind clear for science, not swimming in a pool of hippy feelings every time that vixen walks into the room."

"Oh, that happens to me all the time!" Sheldon Three was grinning like the village idiot so Sheldon Six threw a pen at his head, which he dodged and narrowed his eyes with distain.

Sheldon One continued, "I mean what if something happens? What if she leaves or things don't work out? What if…I start something I can't finish…"

"Oh… you'll finish, buddy. BELIEVE ME!" Sheldon Three smirked.

"NO! Not like that… I mean, I get overwhelmed. I could be overcome by all these feelings. I don't want to be distracted by intimacy that I am not ready for yet. We are going at a slow pace so I can get accustomed to each phase. I will commit to her, but in my own time. I will lose my genius if I turn into a grunting savage." Sheldon One held this hands, and looked down.

Sheldon Five knew this tune well, "Oh that old chestnut of ignoring your feelings because you think you're better than your urges and giving into them makes you less of a genius."

"Thank god you understand." Sheldon One let out a sigh, but it was premature.

Number Five spurted out a laugh, "Ah.. no.. I don't… I spent a summer ignoring my real feelings and it was a complete waste of time. You think you are pacing these feelings for Amy and you are handling them as they come?"

"Right, my pace! The feelings will come when I say, and not before!" Sheldon One looked smug, but his smile dropped when Sheldon Five let out snort of derision.

"Well, I hate to tell you, those feelings are there already. You just need to stop ignoring them. Look, number One, things are better when you commit to Amy and don't fear the intimacy. You really shouldn't wait. It doesn't distract you, it almost… well…"

Sheldon Two laughed, "God, I remember those days, being afraid of intercourse. It seems like a lifetime ago."

Sheldon One asked timidly, "How long have you.. um.. been making like the beast with 2 backs?"

Sheldon Two smiled, "Since August 25th, 2009 at 7:38 in the evening. Before that, I was so afraid of coitus I almost got on a train and ran away because I thought I HAD to have sex with Amy after 3 dates."

Sheldon One had to interrupt. He raised his voice an octave, "There is a threshold for coitus?"

"Yes, but don't make the mistake I made. It means you can't have coitus BEFORE the 3 dates."

"Who in their right mind would have coitus before 3 dates?" Sheldon Four had a disgusted look on his face, as if he had been forced to eat a plate of maggots.

Sheldon Three raised his hand and looked around the room. All the Sheldon's eyes popped out of their heads, and he slowly lowered his hand, but he had to put in his 2 cents worth, "Intimacy helps you focus, because when you feel comfortable everything becomes so clear. Every time she is around me, it is like a warm blanket or a cup of tea. I found my theory after one night when we had made love for hours. Now I am on the fast track for a Nobel."

"Oh please, we all say that, son." Sheldon Six's accent was a thick as mud but the exasperation shone though the words.

"Oh yeah, well my theory has just been submitted to the committee, so neener neener mister grumpy pants!" Sheldon Three crossed his arms and raised his head high. No one could tell him that sex was bad for science; soon he would the Nobel to prove them all wrong.

"Don't call me Mister grumpy pants. Number Five said No nick names." Sheldon Six shot back but with a grin.

"See? Number Three is humping like a rabbit and he will still have a Nobel." Sheldon Five had to agree, "You should listen to mister 'Can't keep it in his pants' Sheldon over here."

"HEY! You **just** said no nick names!"

Sheldon Five's eyes blinked slowly with incredible patience, "Fine… number Three is right. Besides, no one will support you like she does. She will be your rock and being with her makes you feel safe. There is a comfort with her I never knew before we met. She's is unwavering in her support of me. Being in a committed relationship, well… it allows you to take mental leaps you never thought possible because you have a place to land if you fall. The intimacy thing? Well, if you would have kept your mouth shut, you could have finished that make out session and then you'd look like number Three over here." He smiled at Sheldon Three who glared at him but could not keep the silly grin off his face.

Sheldon One was still unconvinced, "Well, I wanted our make out session to continue. I tried to … anyway… She cut me off and got on her angry face."

"That is scary. Amy's angry face can freeze a man!" Sheldon Two shuddered.

Sheldon one continued, "Exactly! Session over! Amy said she needed time to think about our relationship. I think that means she wants to break up with me. I should have known. I will never get this right and I never have. I am always in trouble over this thing and that thing, and they never make sense to me." Sheldon threw his head back on the couch and let out a sigh.

"Ask your Amy, she'll tell ya why you screwed up, I wager." Sheldon Six leered at Sheldon One, but only got a glare in return.

"Well, I DO ask, if you must know! If it's not the Flash, it will be some other thing I say or do that will make her feel undermined and hurt again, and the only way I will know is that I will hear that slam of the door like with the Mars thing." Sheldon One's voice was quaking. He was red with frustration and his brows were curled in confusion and pain.

"What Mars thing?" Sheldon Six had to know.

"I applied to be one of the first to be on the expedition to Mars, but I didn't tell Amy. She was less than thrilled at the news." Sheldon One looked away from the familiar disappointing looks of his clones. The worst was the sound of Sheldon Six's hand hitting his forehead again.

Sheldon Four snorted, "I wish I could go to Mars. That's sounds perfect!"

Sheldon One ignored him, "I just haven't gotten this right yet, and I don't know if I ever can. I'm not who she wants me to be, and I don't think I am able to that kind of man anyway. She wants one of those guys from her romance novels, and that's just not me."

"I doubt that she wants that, or she wouldn't have stuck with you for 5 years." Sheldon Three's rationality was boring into Sheldon One's head, but his doubts blocked the words.

"I should have taken that love test with Amy instead of Penny. Amy would be even more in love with me, and never leave." Sheldon One didn't need confirmation of Amy's love, but he did like to hedge his bets.

"Oh, god, you didn't do that stupid test did you?" Sheldon Two rolled his eyes, "Penny told me about that test and I told her there was no scientific basis to falling in love based on a few stupid questions and a 4 minute staring contest. Penny did it with Leonard, and they're still not married. My Amy agreed."

Sheldon One got defensive, "Well, **my** Amy told me to do it. Besides, if it had worked, Penny was going to take me to GaryCon."

Sheldon Five smiled, "I do love GaryCon…" He quickly looked away when he saw Sheldon Six's jaw drop, "I mean… what do you mean **if** it worked?" Sheldon Five looked at Six for confirmation that his outrage was justified and Sheldon Six nodded.

Sheldon Five asked, "Yeah, are you saying it was possible that you could have fallen in love with Penny?"

Sheldon One almost shirked back in the spot in disgust, "NO! Never! GROSS! It was just a stupid test!"

Sheldon Three started in on Sheldon One as well, "But you just said you wished you did it with Amy! Ergo, you think it could have worked. Why would you even entertain that idea? No wonder your Amy is ticked off at you!"

Sheldon One was getting flustered, "I wish I had done lot of things with Amy! I wish I had never taken off on that train trip over the summer. That was a complete failure and the worse part was, I had to face her when I was at my lowest point! She had the nerve to say she is okay with me not being perfect!"

"The nerve!" Sheldon Four shot back.

Sheldon One nodded, "I know! I have to be perfect! There is so many things I should have done differently now that I know better. I wish I kissed her back when she gave me that drunken kiss or when she was painted up with Snow White costume. She would have loved that, but I didn't do it. Most of all, I wish I had never asked about that stupid show!"

Sheldon Two could see Sheldon One's pain as a familiar feeling in a memory of past mistakes. He felt it all too well when he broke his friendship with her, he had got 25 cats, and wove them all sarapes. He felt it when he almost got on that train to Bozeman Montana himself before their third date just because he was afraid he had to have sex with her. Sheldon Two remembered the look on her face when she knew he had tried to leave her. He also felt it when she walked away from him, out of the comic book storeroom that New Year's Eve after he said something stupid. He knew he had to chase her that night, but part of him told him to run the other way. Sheldon One was going through the same turmoil. Before he could offer any word of encouragement or empathy, Sheldon Four opened his mouth and offered this bit of advice:

"Pure science should be your only love. Everything else is distraction. You know what they say?"

"What?"

"Nobels before Mademoiselles! Simple." Sheldon Four tilted his head back and smirked, but the rest of the group groaned.

"No one says that… Not even me." Sheldon Six had to say something he couldn't help himself, he hated to hear stupid things come out of his own mouth. Even if that mouth was a skinny, bitter, know-it-all made up fantasy.

Sheldon Five rolled his eyes, "Got any Nobels lately Number Four?"

Sheldon Four glared at Sheldon Five who was standing next to him and the rest of the love sick crowd, "No… Not yet, but it is just a matter of time! You'll see! That woman is keeping you from your goals. She will be your undoing, and you will never feel that brass medallion in your hand!"

Sheldon Two looked confused, "Then why was I nominated last year?"

"Yeah! I will be nominated too but more importantly…whose Nobel is that on the shelf?" Sheldon Three pointed to the prize sitting on the shelf. They all shifted their heads to gaze upon the one thing they all coveted. One of them had it already. The question was who?

"Whose room is this?" Sheldon One finally looked around with greater scrutiny. It was familiar, but subtle changes were all around: A monkey statue here and a photo there. He could see there was one photo with Sheldon and Amy, but it was faded as if it was years old. There was another picture of Amy with long hair looking out over water at a lake or the ocean. Her hair was blowing in the breeze. She was so young, Sheldon hardly recognized her, but she was still beautiful.

Sheldon Four asked, "Yeah, who put this whole thing together?"

No one was admitting anything about which of them had orchestrated this congress of Sheldons. The scrutiny filled looks weighed on the group, but no one budged.

Sheldon One asked, "Yes, who indeed! But the real question is: Whose Lego Death Star is that?"

All 6 Sheldons looked up to the landing and displayed proudly was the completed Lego Death Star.

Sheldon Two almost drooled more over the Death Star then the Nobel, "Oh man! That's a great idea to put it up there! I've been working on my Lego Star Wars collection for years!'

"What's Star Wars?" Sheldon Three asked innocently.

A collective gasp filled the room. Sheldon Five dropped his dry erase marker with a thud. Finally he broke the mourning silence and walked over to Sheldon Three, put his hand on his shoulder and with hint of tear in his eye, he said softly:

"Oh you poor man! No Star Wars?"

Sheldon Three was completely flummoxed, "No… Never heard of it… It is a spin-off of Star Trek?"

All 5 Sheldons let out a moan. Sheldon Four rolled his eyes, "Oh god, you even sound like Amy…"

Sheldon One popped up out the seat and headed toward the book shelf that housed the DVD's, "I have a great idea!"

Sheldon Five shut him down before he started, "I know what you are thinking, Number One, and there is no way we are spending our time with alternate versions of ourselves watching STAR WARS!"

Sheldon One huffed and walked back towards to the couch, "You sound like Amy too, buzz kill."

Sheldon Two said with all the sympathy he could muster for Sheldon Three, "Why don't you tell us your story number Three. I think we need a distraction…"

Sheldon Three moved from his side of the couch to take his place in the spot. Sheldon One sat in the spot vacated by Sheldon Three, placed his hand on his shoulder and offered him a sympathetic nod, but Sheldon Three was too elated to know the difference. Finally, he could sit in "His" spot and tell his tale.

"First off…Please for the love of god tell me you've heard of the Higgs Boson?"

* * *

 **Here is the recap again:**

 **Sheldon One: He is the Sheldon from the Show. This story takes place minutes after the Skype call ended from the Finale.**

 **Sheldon Two: He is from my Big Reversal Theory: The Vixen in 4B story. You will find out how he did with Amy and how their lives are now, 6 years later.**

 **Sheldon Three: Let's just call him happy. You will find out in chapter 3 why! Next up, you will find out everything there is to know about him. Back story! **

**Sheldon Four: He is the polar opposite of Sheldon Three. You will find out why in Chapter 5.**

 **Sheldon Five: This is the Sheldon from my Caustic Cohabitation Conundrum. He is the one who met Amy when he was 21 at Harvard. This is 15 years later and a lot of changes have happened.**

 **Sheldon Six: Non-believer. His story will unfold later, but he is unlike them all.**

* * *

 **I have to say, I am overwhelmed by the response to this story. It is amazing, and I wanted to thank all you readers and reviewers. I will I could write Guests back, but just so you know, I love all the reviews. I am elated you like the story! TEE HEE!**

 **Like I told most of you, it should be easier to understand these characters now. I hope that is the case. My Beta ShAmy4evr and I were very careful to get the placing right, and make sure every sentence tells you who is talking. I hope it's easy to read.**

 **Thanks again!**


	3. Chapter 3: Three's a Crowd

**Six Sheldons**

 **Chapter Three: Three's a Crowd**

 **Sheldon Three's back story**

* * *

 **A big thank you to not only ShAmy4evr but also Nibbler747, and Shamour who read this back story about 4 months ago. I hope you like it!**

 **Here is the back story of Sheldon Three. Each back story will be told differently. This one is in third person perspective because I wanted you, as the reader to have Amy's side.**

* * *

The theater was crowded, filled with hordes of science wannabes and posers who thought watching one documentary on the Higgs Boson particle would garner them a degree in Theoretical physics. Sheldon Cooper had long since picked out the best seat in the house and was awaiting his doting roommate who was retrieving the refreshments for the evening. He knew the acoustic sweet spot of that particular theater well and he had staked his claim early, before the hoi polloi arrived. He sent Leonard to fetch his much needed box of red vines and slushee while Sheldon guarded his seat to the right of him, like he was in charge of watching the Ark of the Covenant.

While Sheldon waited for Leonard's return, he spent the time vacillating between growling at would be seat stealers and playing on his phone. Becoming involved in his game, he did not notice the approach of another seat stealer till he heard a husky voice rising above the crowd, "Excuse me…. Pardon me… Excuse me..." He looked up to see a long haired brunette inching her way past seated patrons by facing the screen and shuffling past their feet. She was wearing a striped cardigan fitted tightly around her hips that themselves were showcased by a form fitting pair of jeans. As she inched closer to Sheldon, he couldn't take his eyes off her posterior that was popped up like a shelf as she crept toward the empty seat next to Sheldon which had been reserved for Leonard.

Sheldon was in a daze as she inched past him, whispering ' _pardon me',_ in a low throaty voice that reverberated in his ears. He was transfixed on her hind quarters and her shiny brown hair that glided back and forth each time she took a step closer. Finally, the woman sat next to Sheldon and beamed a brilliant white toothed smile to him, "Is this seat taken?" She was already cozied into seat and had crossed her legs. She leaned on the arm rest and toward Sheldon and popped her eyes open wide to wait for a reply. He could smell the hint of mint off her breath as she spoke and he caught a whiff of some other fragrance wafted off her hair as she pulled it toward the right side of her face.

Sheldon noticed her green eyes immediately. They were beaming at him. They were dark green with speckles of gold flecks, like fire flies in a forest. She had on a pair of horned rimmed glasses with a hint of green in the fake tortoise shell frames that set off her eyes and high cheek bones perfectly. Sheldon's mouth dropped an inch as he stared at her. He barely heard her ask again, "Excuse me, is this seat taken?" She smiled again, and Sheldon drew in a quick breath to fuel his answer

"Um.. Yes.. by you, it seems." Sheldon's snarky answer was in striking contrast to his wide grin.

"Oh, wonderful. This is best spot in the theater. I'm surprised it was open!" The woman turned again and gave Sheldon a toothy grin. "Seems everyone wants to know about the supposed "God particle." What a joke! Where were all these folks when the Tau Neutrino was discovered, am I right?"

Sheldon finally found some words, "EXACTLY! I have been saying that since this whole hootenanny started. They put the word God on something, and suddenly everyone is all a twitter!"

"Uh… I bet they tweeted that!" The brunette snickered and pulled her hair around her ear. The woman cocked her head as she studied Sheldon, "Are you from the South?"

"Yes. Texas born and bred. I have heard my share of _oh God's_ in East Texas. My mother used to make me attend church once a year."

"I have no problem with the concept of a deity, but the notion that it might take attendance is baffling." She cocked her head as she contemplated the idea. Sheldon smirked at her response and leaned closer to her.

Sheldon and the woman spoke of nothing and everything in the 15 short minutes before the film. He could deduce she was brilliant, as intelligent as he which was a phenomena in its own right. Their conversation morphed from particle physics to alternate history to early Greek philosophers. The brunette seemed fascinated at everything he said and moved closer to him each time he gave her another fact pulled from his eidetic memory. The entire time, Sheldon was so taken by the woman, he never had the chance to ask her name.

In the middle of Sheldon's heated explanations of the history of the fork, the woman's attention was diverted by Leonard inching his way through the crowd toward Sheldon holding a box of red vines, a small popcorn and a slushee. As he approached Sheldon he looked confused and flustered, but Sheldon didn't notice him. He was too busy calculating the parabolic curve of the woman's crème colored neck peeking out of her flowered blouse.

Leonard finally got past the annoyed line of patrons, "Um… Sheldon…"

Sheldon turned suddenly, and looked at the items in Leonard's hands, "Oh good, they had the red slushee. I detest the blue one. Thanks Leonard." He took the red vines and slushee and turned back to the beguiling woman with a coy smile as he sipped on his drink.

The woman still looked perplexed at Leonard who was still standing next to Sheldon and asked, "Oh, I'm sorry… Did I take your seat?"

"Well, actually…" Leonard put his hands through his hair and frowned. He didn't want to be rude, but Sheldon obviously had no spine tonight and had let the woman take his seat. He was shocked when Sheldon cut him off and answered for him.

"Actually, Leonard was just bringing my order. He has a seat elsewhere…" Sheldon turned to him and shot him a piercing look, "Don't you Leonard?" Sheldon opened his eyes wide and pointed his head away from the seat the woman had claimed.

Never in the 12 years that Leonard had known Sheldon had he ever changed his routine, let alone flat out lie to spend time with a woman. In fact, Sheldon had never been with a woman for more than five minutes without being insulting. Though Leonard had to correct this assumption, and admit that it was a gender neutral quality Sheldon possessed: The ability to tick off everyone equitably. However despite that unflattering quality, Leonard knew enough of social behavior from his mother's books to know when he wasn't wanted.

"Yes. Enjoy the show Sheldon." Leonard inched past the annoyed patrons one more time, careful not to step on the same toes twice.

Sheldon turned back to the woman, who had a half smile on her face, "Sheldon. You don't hear that name very often."

"Yes, my parents had many a fight about it. I could have been a Bubba or a Hoyt, but thankfully, my mother's wisdom won out."

The woman placed her small hand under her chin and smiled sweetly at Sheldon, "It seems perfect for you. What little I know about you. Unique and intelligent, with dash of interesting history."

"What is your…" just as Sheldon was about to ask her for her name, the previews started. The woman placed her finger near her lips to hush Sheldon. He noted how her lips lingered on her finger as she blew out the hushed sound. Sheldon stole glances of her face during the first preview; her high cheek bones, and strong jaw and chin. She would meet his gaze then look back at the screen. Each time she looked at him, she was focused on his blue eyes.

Sheldon leaned over and offered her a red vine with lingering smile. The woman nodded slowly drew one of the long red twisted treats out of the box and then proceeded to lick the tip to soften it and then slowly nibble on the end, unaware that she was driving Sheldon mad as he observed her nimble tongue glide across the surface. The previews were long forgotten as he watched his own private floor show seated to the right of him.

Once the movie started, Sheldon was shaken from his daze. The woman let her hand rest under the cup holder separating the space between her and Sheldon's seat. Sheldon did the same, using the cup holder as a means to hold his box of Red Vines.

Certain parts of the documentary were so dumbed down and simplified to the general masses that the couple just looked at each other and rolled their eyes. The woman leaned over to Sheldon and whispered in his ear softly, "Do they think we are all first year grad students, or something?" Her breath on his ear sent a shiver down his spine. He turned his head to smile at her before she fully pulled away. He watched her lips curl up as she smiled back at him.

Sheldon leaned across and whispered in her ear, "I weep for the American education system." He moved his mouth so close to her ear, he could feel her soft lobe on his lower lips. It was then he realized the scent of her hair: peach. Her hair smelled like fresh peaches picked off the tree. The woman drew in a short breath when his lip touch her ear and offered a blushing smile.

During one point in the film, Sheldon's hand moved next the woman's. He felt the proximity between them melt as he inched his hand closer to hers. Finally, his pinkie lightly touched hers on the side. He hadn't meant to touch her, but once he did he felt a barrier fall. It was a feather light glaze, but Sheldon's breath hitched in his throat when the contact was made.

At first contact, she pulled it away in surprise, but soon re-positioned her hand back to the original spot that Sheldon was still occupying. He kept his eyes forward as his pinkie laid next to hers. She didn't move, and neither did he. For a brief while he debated whether or not he should pull his hand away. Instead, he raised his pinkie up and slowly ran it down the side of her hand before he stopped. It was her move.

The woman's eyes were still focused on the screen but her pinkie moved to meet his. He hooked his pinkie around hers and slid his hand slowly toward hers, caressing her pinkie with his ring finger. Each of his fingers moved to caress each of hers. She didn't move or pull away, instead she moved her hand closer to his.

When he reached her whole hand, he grasped it briefly and let go. His hand was still partially on top of hers, waiting for her to choose the next move. The woman moved her hand to weave between his fingers. She lightly ran the back of her thumb down to his wrist before she pulled back. It took all of Sheldon's control not to look at her, but he knew that if he did the silent dance would be over. Fighting every instinct in him telling him to pull away, he decided to continue.

He used his fingers to outline her hand and fingers, slowly memorizing the unique texture of each digit. Her hands were sturdy, but honeyed. She must use them often, but protect them since her silky skin felt like there wasn't a scar on them. The woman outlined each vein in Sheldon's dexterous hand with a touch so nimble he almost thought she had stopped. Their mutual touch was trying to glean a history from each other that words could not. They introduced themselves through touch only.

He moved her hand to palm up position, using his middle fingers to glide down the tip of her finger to the button of her sleeve on her wrist. He moved his hand back up and with a strong grip pressed his hand against hers, making sure his palm felt every inch of hers.

He pulsed his hand against her twice before he moved to her wrist, and in one swift motion, undid the button on her sleeve. The woman pulled in a hitched breath, the first indication and acknowledgement of their hidden activities. Sheldon rubbed his thumb across her wrist, lightly at first, then wrapping his fingers around her holding her down as he felt every inch of her exposed skin from her wrist to her fingertips.

He then moved his hand back to grasping hers, pulsing and pressing and feeling each soft tender spot of her hand and wrist. The woman mirrored all his actions and even dug her nails slightly in the back of his hand when his thumb started to draw out letters on her wrist. By the time the lights in the theater brightened, both Sheldon and the woman were almost breathless, but still didn't dare to look at each other. Finally, the woman pulled her hand back and quickly buttoned her sleeve. Sheldon could see that her cheeks and neck bloomed with a rosy hue.

She jumped up as the crowd began to shuffle toward the doors to the back of the theater. The woman instead, rushed toward the exit in the front, with Sheldon chasing after her.

"Wait!" He called to her but she continued to push against the flow of the crowd which slowed her escape enabling Sheldon to catch her by the strap of her bag just after she had exited the theater. He pulled her gently back as the door closed behind them. "Wait, please wait." Sheldon released her bag and stood breathless against the wall. The woman was frozen, looking only at her brown Mary Jane shoes.

Sheldon asked her, "Why did you run?"

She tilted her head up for a moment. It was late afternoon and the orange hue from the setting sun coupled with the sudden brightness made her green irises light up like green embers. "I didn't know what to say." She looked down and then cleared her throat to voice her feeble explanation, "The crowd was too much for me."

Sheldon moved toward her a little, and rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "I... um… don't like crowds either. I understand."

She swallowed a few times and then said, "That was a great documentary...I've never experienced one quite like it."

Sheldon put his hands in his pockets. "Neither have I. Ever." Then he pulled one hand out and ran it over his head, "Um... it was educational."

The woman drew her hair to the side and finally looked up, "Yes. I should go." The woman looked at her surroundings. The sun was almost gone by then, and a dark alley and dim lights were all that was there to guide her way. She was in uncharted territory both in her environment and the actions with the stranger before her. She gripped the strap of her bag, "Oh dear, I am turned around. I think I lost my car." She tried to open the theater door again, but it was locked.

"Don't worry. I know where we are." Sheldon looked around the empty alley and laughed, "I think I lost my ride. I believe the parking lot is in the front." Sheldon moved nearer to the woman. He could finally see how tall he was compared to her. She was at least 10 inches shorter than he. She could fit perfectly under his chin. He licked his lips and asked her in a gentle voice, "Can I walk you to your car?" He held out his hand for her to take it. The woman looked up to see Sheldon's face. He wore a warm smile and bright eyes.

The woman stepped closer to him and eyed him suspiciously, "Okay. But just so you know, I have a Taser."

Sheldon had no idea she was speaking about using it on him, "Good. I don't like the looks of this alley! Let's get you outta here before someone gets the wrong idea." He held out his hand for her to take.

The woman released a breathy chuckle and smiled. She glanced down and gingerly, took Sheldon's hand again. He held onto her with a firm grip, but light enough that she could pull away if she had wanted to. The woman relaxed instantly as soon she felt his warm embrace again on her hand. He looked down and smiled sweetly at her as he led her to the side walk.

As they walked hand in hand toward the car, the conversation shifted back toward the documentary and the conversation they had had before. They spent a further 10 minutes talking at her car before Sheldon worked up the nerve to ask for a favor.

"Um… I know this is lot to expect, but is there any way I could ask for a ride home? I live at 2311 Los Robles Avenue." Sheldon gave her a wide innocent smile, but the woman just narrowed her eyes at him and crossed her arms.

"Are you serial killer?" She asked suspiciously. It was 75% joke, and 25 % true concern.

Sheldon looked confused at her query, "No, I'm a theoretical physicist…" Sheldon crossed his arms over his chest, "Look lady, you're the one with a Taser."

"Fine. I'll take you home. I have to go that way anyway."

Leonard was frantic. He had been to the comic store, the Lego store, the train store and the Cheesecake Factory but Sheldon was nowhere to be found. The movie theater was quite a distance from their home in Pasadena, and Sheldon would never take the bus without his bus pants. The odd thing was that Sheldon's phone was off, so he couldn't track him. Finally he got in touch with Penny at the apartment to see if she had heard from him.

"Penny? Hey.. Have you seen Sheldon?"

"No. I thought he was with you? Did you lose him again? Look, I told you, write his name and address on his arm with a sharpie. The police will know who to call." Penny giggled as she walked up the stairs with her laundry basket on her hip and the phone to her ear.

Leonard had asked her to go to the documentary with him, but two hours of science stuff versus a Netflix marathon of Breaking Bad was no comparison. Higgs may be a very important Boson, but nothing compares to Jessie Pinkman's teeth.

"Well, he was with some woman at the theater. I think they left together, but I am..."

Before Leonard could finish his thought he heard a crashing sound on the phone, as if Penny had dropped the phone down two flights. Finally she was back on the line, "Wait what?"

"Yeah. He gave my seat to some brunette. Believe it or not he was chatting her up and made it patently clear that he wanted me out of the picture."

Penny reached the fourth floor and struggled with the phone, basket of clothes and her keys, "No way! Sheldon? Cooper?" What happened to all that homo erectus crap about how he was above basic urges or something?"

"That's homo Novus and baser urges. I don't know… he was smitten though, that's for sure."

Penny had to cough, "Smitten… Sheldon? Wow. Please tell me you got pictures."

By now Leonard had almost reached the apartment, "No, but I wish. I could have made a fortune from showcasing the world's strangest phenomena."

"Well, good for him! Finally! What did she look like?"

"I don't know.. Long hair…"

Penny grew quiet and whispered, "Straight, with glasses and a stripped cardigan?"

"Yeah, how the hell did you know that?"

"I gotta call ya back." Penny hung up the phone as a woman fitting Leonard's description was leaving 4A as quickly as she could. She had her shoes in her hand, her hair was messed up, as if it had been through the ringer or maybe had someone's hands run through it. Her flowered shirt was misbuttoned as was her stripped cardigan. She stopped moving as soon as she heard Penny clear her throat.

"Ummm. Hello."

The woman froze, then slowly turned around and straightened out but her shoulders were still hunched. She gave Penny a half smile and struggled to straighten her cardigan, "Um…. Hello."

"I'm Penny…" Penny tried to walk toward her, but the woman looked away, trying to hide her face.

"Good." The woman said as she slipped on her shoes while she threw her bag over her shoulder. Penny was gob smacked at the sight of a woman doing the walk of shame out of Sheldon Cooper's apartment. She still couldn't believe her eyes.

"Are you here to visit Sheldon?" Penny moved closer to the woman, who seemed distraught and eager to leave.

The brunette looked down, and whispered to Penny with a trembling voice, "Please tell him… I'm sorry… I just… I'm sorry." The woman ran down the stairs like a jack rabbit. Penny stood in the hall listening as the sound of her footsteps faded away.

Penny shook her head and exclaimed, "Holy crap on a cracker." Penny did the unusual practice of knocking on the door of 4A before she entered. She didn't know what to expect.

Sheldon heard the knock and came out of the shower pulling his robe closed to hide the flush on this chest and neck. He seemed nervous to see Penny but more confused as the seconds drew on and he didn't hear anything from his bedroom. Penny called out to him, "Sheldon! What's going on?"

Sheldon's face grew pale as he suddenly realized he may have lost something important. He ignored Penny and rushed to his bedroom and then came back out slowly and with his shoulders slumped,

"Where… did she go?"

"She left Sheldon. She just took off like a bat outta hell about 3 minutes ago." Penny came over to Sheldon, but he just looked through her as if his mind was racing and she wasn't in the equation. He rushed to the window of 4A that faced the street and looked desperately for the car he was driven home in. It was gone. She was gone.

"Sheldon.. What's going on? Who was that?"

Sheldon collapsed onto his spot on the couch and melted into it. He said nothing for a few moments and slowly turned his head to Penny, he said in a whisper, "I don't know Penny. She never told me her name."

Penny couldn't believe it, "Wait a minute… Are you saying you and this woman... actually got physical?"

"Yes." Sheldon let the word hang in the air as he jumped off the couch, "I have to find her Penny. I've got to get dressed." Sheldon rushed off to his bedroom. Leonard arrived back just in time to see him disappear down the hall.

Leonard threw his keys in the bowl, "Thank god, you found him. Where has he been?"

"Here. In his room." Penny bit her lip, "With a woman…"

Leonard snorted, "What? You're crazy. He just met her!" He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and put it to his forehead. He had just spent the last three hours combing the streets of Pasadena for Sheldon. There was no way Leonard would believe he was here in bed with the woman he had just met in a movie theater.

"I know…" Penny looked toward the hall, and then whispered to Leonard, "Leonard, he doesn't even know her name!"

Leonard just laughed at Penny, "Penny… Please… there is no way Dr. Sheldon Lee Cooper would EVER engage in casual sex. Hell, any sex!"

A large voice boomed from the hall, "There was nothing casual about it Leonard." Sheldon emerged from the bedroom dressed and ready for action. He walked over to grab his windbreaker jacket from the chair at his desk and then stood by the chair, "Come on Leonard. We have to find her!"

Leonard stood up, "Find who, Sheldon? Where are we going to go? Penny says you don't even know her name? How did this happen? You just met her at the movies? And you… had sex with her? The same guy who can't even shake someone by the hand without a visit to a decontamination shower." Leonard was shaking; it was as if the foundation of his belief system had been shattered. He just could not fathom Sheldon being involved in some tryst with a woman he had just met.

Sheldon rubbed his temple with one hand and held onto the back of his chair with the other hand. He was trembling and his eyes were wild.

Penny could tell Sheldon was in distress and that Leonard's yelling wasn't helping. "Sheldon, sweetie, come sit down and tell us what happened. We might find some clues to find her for you, okay? Come on… Sit." Penny tapped his spot. Sheldon let out a large sigh and removed his jacket. He was exhausted by the day's events, and he felt as if he had a brick on his chest.

Leonard eased off when he saw how distraught Sheldon was. Leonard went to the kitchen to fix him some tea as he eyed him with growing concern. Sheldon sat in his spot for a while, looking at his hands. He had a sober sigh escaping him as he gathered his thoughts. Finally he spoke, but his voice was low, with a different timber, with a slight smile as he remembered everything about the evening.

"She and I spoke at the film. Oh... she's brilliant. She knew all about the Higgs Boson particle, the artificial neural networks… She had an inspired idea about cellular automata approach to neuronal connectivity with applications to String theory. She even knew about maritime flags and the complete history of the fork verses the trident."

"So she's as boring as you!" Penny smiled but Sheldon was in no mood, "Sorry. Go on."

"She kept up with everything I said, Leonard. She has this little laugh when she thought I was wrong about something. She tried to stifle it, but her green eyes gave her away." Sheldon looked off in the distance for a moment, "She had softest skin I've ever felt. It was like I was running my fingers through fine flour." Sheldon looked up at Leonard who could see his eyes were growing red and shiny, "I… have to find her again, Leonard." His voice held a desperation that neither of them had heard before.

Leonard handed him the tea, but Sheldon just set it down and leaned back on his spot,

"Sheldon, how did you get over the touching thing? I mean, that is such a leap for you."

Sheldon shook his head, "I have no idea Leonard. One minute I'm watching the film, the next moment I'm touching her hand in the theater. Then she drove me home, and I didn't want her to leave. I invited her up for tea." Sheldon looked at the tea mugs still on the coffee table.

Sheldon drew in a quick breath and continued, "I just... I couldn't let go of her hand. I hate holding hands Leonard, you know that about me. I mean it's so unsanitary, and unhygienic, but with her…I didn't feel any of that. She and I started playing a game, something we made up on the drive home. Every time she gave a brilliant answer, I could not help but move closer to her, it was as if I was drawn to her. Almost like each electron in every one of her atoms completed my own electron shell. As if we drawn together by some covalent bond."

Penny looked to Leonard for explanation and he shook his head and indicated he would explain later.

Sheldon continued, "I've never felt anything like this before Leonard. I was losing control, and I didn't care. It was like she was a missing part of me that I didn't even know I had lost until I found her." Sheldon put his head in his hands.

Penny and Leonard looked at each other quickly with deep concern. Sheldon had fallen. Deep, down a depth that he didn't even know existed in his heart.

"Sheldon, didn't you ask her about herself? Did she say where she went to school, or grew up? Anything?"

"No… no… we were too busy talking about everything from science and math, to history. It didn't matter. She doesn't even know I work at Caltech. I know nothing about her. Except… She drives a silver Camry. She loves monkeys and Neil Diamond and she's the smartest person I've ever met."

Penny looked over to Leonard and mouthed, " _NEIL DIAMOND_?" Leonard just shrugged his shoulders and looked back at Sheldon who was growing more agitated.

"Why? Why did she leave?" Sheldon stood up, "I told her I'd be right back. I just needed a shower." He started to pace frantically across the floor, "Maybe she was offended? I should have never left her. I should have asked her more about herself. I thought I had time, Leonard. I wanted to know everything about her, and now…" Sheldon paced around the room and slumped against the pillar looking through his large picture window at the dome of the Pasadena.

He tried to replay everything she said to him, but the only thoughts he could focus on was the feeling of kissing her neck, or the strand of her hair woven in his fingers. He closed his eyes and remembered the taste of her while he kissed her chest as she peeled off her blouse and bra to reveal herself to him. He held his hand to his ears hoping the sound of her moans echoing wouldn't leave him. The look of bliss she gave him when they climaxed together. It was the first time for both of them.

Sheldon mumbled to himself, "It was her first time too."

Penny stood up, and walked toward Sheldon, "Woah, wait a minute… She was a virgin?"

"Yes, she said she had never experienced this feeling outside the lab. I really don't know what that means…"

Penny put her hand to her mouth, "No wonder she was upset, Sheldon! DUH! She just gave her virginity to a perfect stranger!"

Sheldon turned around and spat out, "I didn't take advantage of her, Penny. I would never do that! I told her it was my first time too. She knew I was just as inexperienced. I didn't use her! I wouldn't hurt her!" Sheldon's lower lip was shaking with anger and fear. Maybe he had misunderstood her or she him. He should have asked more questions, he should have talked more, he should have let the theater be the end of it. There were so many should haves about the last three hours.

Penny put her arm around him, and gave him a hug, "No, honey, I know you. You wouldn't hurt a fly. It's just that a woman's first time, well it's important. You want it to be someone special, not just some guy you met at a theater."

Leonard cleared his throat again, and Penny corrected herself, "No matter how great he is." Penny looked over to Leonard and shrugged her shoulders which made Leonard shake his head. Penny was trying to make Sheldon feel better, but it was lost cause, "She was confused and worried she made a mistake. That's why she said she was sorry."

Sheldon spun around, "Wait, you talked to her!?"

"Just for a moment. She wanted me to tell you she was sorry. That was it. I tried to ask her name, but she ran off. Poor girl was probably confused as hell. I hope she has some friends to help her through this." Penny tapped Sheldon's shoulder to come sit again. He walked back to the couch and wilted into his spot.

"I don't think she does. She was amazed I had six friends, almost envious."

Sheldon sucked in his upper lip and shook his head, "That's the worst part of this. I finally met someone I could relate to completely. Another homo novus and I've ruined it with my endocrine system running roughshod over my logical mind."

Sheldon grasped his hands and held them, looking at them like never before. Then he remembered the feeling of holding her small hands in his. It was as if he was protecting her yet at the same time she gave him strength. He remembered feeling them in the theater, like some erotic forbidden dance he couldn't stop. He had felt again the comfort of them as they walked to her car and up the stairs, like it was the first time or the hundredth time, he wasn't sure. He relived every moment as he held her hands over her head when they were completely naked merging together, with every thought, every feeling becoming one. At that moment, he felt he had both lost and found himself. Now she was gone, taking that piece of him with her. He had to get it back somehow.

Leonard told the guys about Sheldon's tryst, and they had immediately wanted to tease him. Howard and Raj had waited years to pay back Sheldon for all his comments about their over active hind brains. However all the talk of jokes stopped once they saw him slumped in his spot with all joy squeezed out him. He looked half the man he used to be. His eyes always seemed to be focused on some point in the distance. His pontificating over every little fact that crossed his mind had stopped. His teasing had stopped. It was as if the heart of Sheldon had stopped the second she walked through the door.

Sheldon spent the next few weeks scribbling on every white board he could find everything he knew about the mystery woman. He tried to get Howard to break into the DMV data base to find the registration of everyone in Southern California with a silver Camry. Howard's system crashed from too much data. He tried to do DNA testing on her tea mug, but she wasn't in any data base. He went back to the theater every night for two weeks hoping to see her again. Nothing. As each day disappeared, so did Sheldon's hope. His work suffered and he wasn't eating. Each night, he curled up with the same pillow hoping that her scent would still be there. It had dissipated and just the memory of it remained, it wasn't enough.

Each day Leonard would try and wake Sheldon for work, but Sheldon just turned from him and say, "Not today, Leonard."

Finally Leonard felt tough love was needed to do the trick. He woke up Sheldon for work one day after three weeks of absences. It took a while, but Sheldon finally looked at him. The whites of his eyes were bloodshot and the dark circles told Leonard that even though he had been in bed for nearly a week, he hadn't slept a wink.

"Okay, enough of this Sheldon! You are going to work today! I've had it. So you had a magical night. Just be thankful you had that! You never wanted to date anyone anyway! The obligation… the commitments… holidays together… You might even have to buy a gift! This is not the kind of life you wanted, buddy! Come on! Let's go!" Leonard threw Sheldon's clothes on the bed and stormed out of the room. He waited in the kitchen, hoping to see Sheldon. It was 15 minutes before he heard him stumble into the shower. Finally, a dressed, shaved and clothed Sheldon Cooper was standing by his chair half-heartedly putting on his jacket. He didn't speak a word or focus on anything. Leonard knew he had to take his time with Sheldon and three weeks was long enough.

After she had left Los Robles that night, the woman rushed home, breaking speed limits on the way from Pasadena to Glendale. She felt she had held her breath the whole time and all she wanted to do was scream to release the pressure burning within her chest. Not till she was in her apartment, with the door firmly locked did she let out a gasp. She rushed to the bathroom to run a hot bath, and that's when she finally caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her hair was tussled around her face, as if she had been caught in a wind storm. Her lips were still swollen from kissing him.

Oh what kiss, she thought, as she ran her fingers over her mouth remembering the feeling when he first leaned over and kissed her. She had just made a stunning bit of logic that had decimated his argument in just a few words. She saw his eyes darken in a second and the kiss was the next thing she felt along with her heart skipping a beat.

She was as surprised as he was when he kissed her. He pulled back and looked at her, swallowing his words before he released them, "I… um… never kissed anyone before."

" _I have... But only once. It was not like that." She watched his lips as he licked him again, "Not like that at all."_

" _Um… do you mind if I try it again?"_

" _No, please do. I want to make sure it was not a one off."_

It was anything but a one off. Once their lips met again, it was like they were magnetized to each other and didn't break apart till they were in his bed, naked, looking at each other both wondering how they got there. Every touch and action felt so natural, like they had done it a thousand times before, but the sensation was novel and addictive. He was gentle and slow with every kiss, every touch, as if he was memorizing her. It never occurred to her she should stop or she was doing something wrong. She wouldn't dream of ending the feeling he gave her, it would be like taking away tangible joy.

He had asked her gently, if he should continue before anything happened. She said yes, without hesitation. She wanted him at the moment, more than oxygen, more than the will to draw it in. He held on to her hands when he entered her the first time. She expected the feeling to be painful, however it was the polar opposite. Everything was timeless: The look in his eyes, the feeling of his skin on her body that was opened to him as never before, all of it made her feel safe, accepted, and love for the first time in her life. As he continued to move within her, he was tender, testing each pass by kissing her. As their rhythm increased, his kissing turned into mutual moans echoed and shared with each other in a chorus that belonged only to them.

She felt a twisting twirling feeling building in her core that multiplied every time he pushed into her. She felt a constricting wave of pleasure permeate through every pore in her body. She shook and bucked at his touch, but he continued his motions with her and soon after, she felt a warm feeling fill her. He released her hands and moved them to her face. He appeared shocked by the feeling they shared but seemed more amazed with every second he looked at her as if he couldn't believe she was real.

Finally he spoke, in a low rattled voice, "I have never felt anything like that before." He shifted his weight off her, but pulled her to his chest, wrapping his arms around her. She could still feel his breath on her forehead as he said, "I never thought I ever would either."

"That was nothing like the lab."

"What lab?"

"Oh, an experiment I did in college, with electrodes tied directly to the pleasure centers." She didn't want to tell him she had done the experiment 128 times.

"I would love to hear about that, but do you mind if I go…" He looked down and she just smiled.

"Please."

He kissed her cheek quickly, got up from the bed and grabbed a plaid flannel robe that had been hanging on the door. She finally saw his whole body, and what a specimen he was. Tall, lanky and just enough muscles to make her swoon. His tight butt with dimples above it was the best sight she had seen. He tied the robe around his body, and then turned back to her, "I'll be just a moment."

"Of course. Take your time." She gave him a sleepy grin and nodded for him to go.

He gave her one more smile and then disappeared. She sat up on the bed when she heard the shower start, and thought back over what had just happened. He had seemed a little uncomfortable, and she had assumed it was from the condom he was wearing. He was already embarrassed enough as it was to have to rush and get it from his roommate's room that night so she didn't want to mention it. Her initial feeling had been that he probably wanted to get cleaned up. However, as she sat on the bed alone, doubts consumed her and she feared the worst: He wanted to get away from her, that he wanted to wash her off him.

She glanced around the foreign room with strange picture, crates of comic books and orderly book, she realized she was in a strange man's room. A man she'd just met and knew nothing about.

As she felt the walls closing in, her mind started to unravel all the justifications of her actions that evening. She was supposed to meet a man for a date, but he had stood her up. Another failed blind date to appease her demanding mother who insisted she be married before 35.

She had never worn jeans before in her life, but her cousin swore that if she was ever to catch a man, she had to dress differently. She laughed as she looked down to her jeans in a mass on the floor and thought her cousin might be right, she did indeed catch a man.

However, did she? What kind of man goes to bed with a woman he just met? What kind of woman sleeps with a man who doesn't even know her name? She wasn't raised like this, trolloping off with any blue eyed man who casually touches her. What must he think of her, she thought. He would never want more from her, they had already established that their relationship was based on physical attraction, and that only lasts as long as the hormones are flowing, then the good feeling would be gone. It would all be gone.

It was more than the negative thoughts that plagued her mind. He had touched more than her hands or her body. He had touched her soul with a taste of something she could never have again.

She ruminated over the night till her bath was drawn, and she was ready to wash off the evening. As she stripped off her clothes and soaked in the tub, the tears streaming down her face were not for her actions, or for any guilt or shame. They were for the bone crippling disappointment that she would never feel that way again. She curled on her side in the water, hoping the warmth would comfort her, but she just felt cold. Everything she touched was cold.

Perhaps she should have stayed, spoken to him and explained why she had to leave, but the thought of looking at his blue eyes again scared her. What would she say to him? How could she explain her actions? How had she let this happen? He was charming, intelligent, sweet, and comforting. He was everything she ever dreamed in a man, and she had ruined it with her endocrine system running roughshod over her logical mind.

As she soaked in the tub, the evening wouldn't leave her: Before she would have to face him again, she had grabbed her clothes and in a mad rush, threw them on as best she could. She held onto her shoes so he couldn't hear her tip toe through his apartment on the wood floors. She held her breath as she slowly opened the front door, hoping he didn't have squeaky hinges. Luckily, she had escaped his intoxicating gaze.

She thought she was free but then the neighbor had seen her. She was flaxen haired goddess and she lived next door? How could she ever compete with her? Sheldon had said he had never been with anyone, but he could have been lying. He was so skilled and masterful at love-making that he could have been honing his skills on this Penny person who seemed all too keen on knowing his affairs. She had rushed past his neighbor before she had to explain a word of her actions other than the apology. She didn't think she could anyway. The last three hours were as out of character as she ever thought she would go.

Because of her background, she knew the brain's reaction to sex: It is flooded with serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin giving a person an overwhelming good feeling that some associate with love. It would dissipate over time. It will disappear, she told herself that night in the bath. The addictive feeling of him will be just a wonderful memory. He didn't even know her name, how could she expect more?

After her bath and a soothing cup of tea, she brushed her teeth and went straight to bed. She curled up on her side and hugged the pillow as she always did to float off to sleep. She often imagined the pillow was her soul mate, and she would tell the pillow the day's events like she would a lover. This time, she knew the feeling of lying next to man, and the pillow seemed so cold, empty and useless. She threw it across the room and turned roughly on her stomach. She drifted off to sleep with pale memories fading of his touch on her hands.

The next day, she woke up and dressed as if the evening never happened. She was surprised how good she felt: refreshed and ready for a new day. The night seemed just a fading sweet memory she was quickly trying to forget. As she pulled on her tights, her skirt and undershirt, she felt better. She would be able to recover from her dalliance. She slipped on her blouse and buttoned the sleeves bu then slowed her action. She gently ran her hands over her wrists mirroring his touch. It was only then her lip started to quiver. She saw the drops falling on her skirt. She pulled her hands to her face and cried for the rest of morning. Partly over what she lost and mostly over what would never be.

For the next few weeks she was a zombie. She only went the motions of the day, not really living them. She would eat, but not taste anything. She would listen to music, but the tone seemed flat and the lyrics un-relatable. Every book she read seemed contrived or banal. Even work brought her no joy. She had used more sick days in the last three weeks than she had in the entire time since left graduate school and started at UCLA. Her supervisor became worried at her apathy toward work. She thought a trip to another university would do her some good, so she sent her to Caltech's neurology department to retrieve a culture of prions for the research on bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

Caltech was a prestigious university with a stellar reputation for academic excellence, but the only thought that occurred to her as she drove through the streets of Pasadena was that it was only 2 blocks away from Los Robles. She remembered he had said he was a Theoretical Physicist, but what were the odds he would work at the highest regarded university in the county for that field? She hoped the chances were slim to none as she walked through the halls of the science department carefully scanning every door for the name, Sheldon. Luckily she found none.

Her visit was expected and well received by the Caltech neurology department and they treated her as if she were a rock star. They had heard of her study on addiction and were eager to work with her latest research. UCLA was a wonderful university, but the drive from Glendale was a killer. It would sometimes take her an hour and half to get to work on some of the most crowded freeways in the region. The head of the department at Caltech, Dr. Gunderson as much as offered her job on the spot. She had a lot to think about as she carried her ice pack cooler of mad cow disease through the halls like a lunch pail. Dr. Gunderson had offered to buy her lunch in the cafeteria and she acquiesced. Her appetite was minimal but she knew the drive back to UCLA would be horrific without something on her stomach.

She had told Dr. Gunderson that she would meet him in the cafeteria, but as she walked into the room lined with soda machines and grey tables and her heart stopped. There, sitting with a group of three men, was Sheldon. His back was to her and he was hunched over his lunch, but she would know that back anywhere. His broad shoulders, dark hair and pale exquisite neck with a smattering of moles were regular features in her dreams.

She froze, unsure what to do. Unfortunately, the man from the theater looked up and saw her at the door. His jaw dropped as well as his fork. He smiled at her but she just backed away in horror. Instead of speaking to Sheldon, the man excused himself and followed the woman as she tried to race out the door. The lunch crowd slowed her escape, and he was able to catch up to her when she found the only dead end in the university halls.

"Wait… Hold on!" The bespectacled man called out to her. She kept facing forward toward the wall, but she didn't answer him.

"Are you the woman from the theater?"

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean. I am just here getting a culture of prions, that's all." She turned toward the other wall when he walked around her trying to catch her face.

"Oh, I'm sorry my mistake. I thought you were the woman who shattered my friend's heart. She left him without a word. You look just like her." The man circled her, "The resemblance is uncanny."

She tried to hide her face from him with her long hair, and turned away, but he kept circling her, "I'm… not… I didn't…"

The short man pushed back his glasses and shoved his hands in his pockets. With a biting angry tone he spit his words at her like venom, "Oh, that's too bad. See this woman left him without the courtesy of a simple word after they had a night together. That woman may not know it, but he has never done anything like that before in his life. Maybe she felt he would think less of her, or maybe she was embarrassed."

The woman looked up at the man with shiny green eyes, eked out a reply, "Maybe she didn't know what to say."

The man softened his tone, "Probably. It's too bad you aren't her. Because if you were, maybe you could talk to him, ya know. Explain why you left. This is one of the few days he's gotten outta bed. He spent the last few weeks doing everything he could to find her. I've never seen him try so hard or fall so low."

The woman's face was wet with tears as she looked toward the floor. "I'm sure she is very sorry." She used her sleeve to wipe away her tears and almost dropped her ice chest of disease. She fumbled as she followed it to the floor. She stayed kneeled to the ground to catch her breath and hide her tears. When she opened her eyes, a handkerchief was being handed to her. She took it and stood up keeping her head down the entire time. She looked up to say thank you to the short man, but standing before her was Sheldon. The woman gasped and backed up into the wall.

Sheldon stepped closer to her, and took the handkerchief from her hand. He wiped the tears off her face, but she couldn't look at him. Finally, she swallowed and with all the courage she could muster, she looked at his blue eyes again. He was smiling but the action seems strained, as if his facial muscles had forgotten how. Sheldon held the cloth to her face and lightly traced it down her jaw.

"You're more beautiful than I remembered." Sheldon smiled, "How is that possible?"

The woman held her fingers to her mouth to hold in her sobs. The cry she held back hurt in her chest and throat. Finally, she spoke with a trembling voice, "I'm so sorry."

Sheldon reached up and gently grabbed her hand from her mouth. He let his fingers glide over her wrist and palm before he held it tight. He pulled her into his chest and let her cry on his shirt. Finally the woman stopped her tears and just held him again. Sheldon leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Please tell me your name." He pulled her face up to him so he could look at her eyes when heard her reply.

The woman smiled, and said softly, "Amy… Amy Farrah Fowler."

Sheldon's lip quivered as he held back weeks of bent up emotions. He smiled and said, "Hello Amy Farrah Fowler. I'm… Sheldon Lee Cooper."

Sheldon pulled back but held onto her hand, "Um.. May I buy you a beverage?"

Amy drew her hair to the side of her head and smiled, "Tepid water, please."

The two walked down the hall back the cafeteria hand in hand. Leonard grinned as he saw his friend smile for the first time in weeks.

Then he looked down at the floor, "Um… Excuse me? You forget your ice chest thing here!" Leonard almost kicked it and saw the warning label on the side,

"Doesn't this have some disease or something?! Amy?"

* * *

 **A/N: Next up, we are back to the congress of Sheldon's and get to hear their reactions to number Three's story!**

 **What is your reaction? Tell me what ya think! I am so pleased you guys like the story so far! I hope the back story was not too jarring from the meeting.**


	4. Chapter 4: Firefly's and PopPop's

**Six Sheldon's**

 **Chapter 4: Firefly's and PopPop's**

* * *

 **Here is the key for you I thought I would put it at the top to remind you:**

* * *

 **Here is the recap again:**

 **Sheldon One: He is the Sheldon from the Show. This story takes place minutes after the Skype call ended from the Finale.**

 **Sheldon Two: He is from my Big Reversal Theory: The Vixen in 4B story. You will find out how he did with Amy and how their lives are now, 6 years later.**

 **Sheldon Three: Let's just call him happy. He is the Sheldon who had a one night stand with Amy after meeting her in the theater.**

 **Sheldon Four: He is the polar opposite of Sheldon Three. You will find out why in Chapter 5.**

 **Sheldon Five: This is the Sheldon from my Caustic Cohabitation Conundrum. He is the one who met Amy when he was 21 at Harvard. This is 15 years later and a lot of changes have happened.**

 **Sheldon Six: Non-believer. His story will unfold later, but he is unlike them all.**

* * *

Sheldon Three finished his story with a wide smile. He had told the group about meeting Amy in the theater, though he had left out most of the salacious details of their first night together because his audience seemed less than keen. However, no one needed to hear the play by play, the look on Sheldon Three face was clear: He didn't need an eidetic memory to have that first night ingrained in his mind forever. The group could tell how destroyed Sheldon Three was when he thought he would never see her again just by the way his voice cracked. He never cried, but reliving that night she walked out on him was difficult.

After Sheldon Three and Amy had left the hall of Caltech, with Leonard running behind carrying Amy's Mad Cow, they had spent the lunch talking until she realized that Dr. Gunderson was waiting for her. Sheldon Three had hated to let her go even for the rest of the afternoon. The agony of losing her before had still been fresh in his heart and the wound was yet to heal. He made her promise to call him afterwards, and got every bit of contact information he could gleam off of her before he let go of her hand again.

Sheldon Three turned to Sheldon One sitting next to him on the couch "Number One, I understand the pain that you are feeling now, I really do. When she left me that night, I was so confused. I didn't know what I had done wrong, or what I could have done differently. She didn't tell me, and though we have worked it out, the pain I felt is still there. Pain like that rears its head when you least expect it."

Sheldon One sucked in his lower lip, trying to keep it from shaking. "I still don't know what I did so wrong that she would want to reevaluate our whole relationship. I mean, things had been going so well."

Sheldon One couldn't imagine losing Amy but he feared that it was quite possible that this could be the end of them. He now wondered what else she hadn't told him that had bothered her. He was totally happy with their relationship, but the fact that she was not, meant that she must be hiding information from him. She should have told him, just like number Three's Amy should have stayed that night. It was fear that had pushed that Amy out number Three's door and kept her away. Was it fear that was keeping his Amy silent?

"I think you just need to talk. That's what we did that evening. Oh man we talked for hours about everything." Sheldon Three shrugged his shoulders with an innocent confidence. His happy smile had resurfaced and remained glued to his face as he continued, "It took a while for me to understand why she left. Once I did, the hurt subsided and we have been inseparable ever since."

Sheldon Four leaned forward from the arm of the couch to look Sheldon Three in the eye, "Let me get this straight… you slept with her…"

"Yes…

"After knowing her for only a few hours."

"Yes…

"And you didn't know her name?" Sheldon Four spoke very slowly, as if Three couldn't understand his words. Sheldon Three ignored the blatant condescension in his voice.

"No, but later…"

Sheldon Four did not give him a chance to finish his justification because he was too shocked by his actions, "First of all, we should have stuck with nick names, Slutty Sheldon suits you! Were you always like this? I don't mean so happy that the stupid smile never leaves your face, I mean, ready to jump in the sack with anything that moves in a pair of tight jeans!?"

"Hey! I am **not** slutty! I never slept with ANYONE before her! I am not afraid of falling in love like you sad sacks! If it comes it comes, however, no one ever turned my head before I saw her, I mean, EVER. So why bother with it? Once I met her though… Boy howdy… it was like…"

Sheldon One let out a short reply with a slight smile, "Magic."

"Yes! Exactly! When she left that night, I thought I lost a piece of me and in fact I did. However, its all sorted now. She started to work at Caltech, and that's made life easier. I'm going to ask her to marry me on our anniversary." Sheldon Three sat up straight as a peacock, so pleased with himself.

Sheldon One snorted, still feeling that pain. He rubbed his thumb and fingers together to capture the phantom feel of the velvet box that held his hopes earlier, "Good luck with pal. Make sure you don't bring up any TV shows when you do it."

Sheldon Three leaned back in his spot, put his hands behind his head and confidently announced, "I don't have to worry about that! Amy is as addicted to Firefly as I am!"

"Firefly is cancelled!" Sheldon One rolled his eyes but Sheldon Three held his smile which turned quickly to a smirk.

"Ha, not it's not! The 13th season just ended. EVERYONE watches Firefly, even non science fiction lovers, like Amy. Where do you think this shirt is from?" Sheldon Three held out his shirt, but the logo was unfamiliar to the group. It did have Chinese characters on it, but it meant nothing to the any of them. "Amy got it for me!"

Sheldon One was still trying to grasp the news, "Hold up! Are you telling me, that in your Universe, Firefly wasn't canceled?"

Sheldon Two chimed in as well with a growl, "And your Amy watches it with you?"

Caught between Sheldon One sitting next to him and Sheldon Two in the chair, he did not know who to look at first "Well…. Yeah!"

"God, I can't describe how much I hate you right now. Forget that you never saw Star Wars. I take ALL my sympathy back." Sheldon Five nearly growled at him and turned to look at his white board so as not to see Sheldon Three's happy face.

Sheldon Two was still in awe, "And she watches it with you? Amy? Amy Farrah Fowler?"

"YES! Amy! I was going to ask at her at SerenityCon, but I don't want to wait that long, besides she is still working on her Inara costume."

"INARA COSTUME!? She wears costumes!? Dear lord!" Even Sheldon Four on the arm of the couch couldn't hide his envy. He almost lost his balance off the couch.

Sheldon Three was oblivious to the all other Sheldons' green fury, "I've been thinking that our 6th month anniversary would be better. I got the ring from Meamaw this week, want to see it?"

Sheldons Two and Five said half-heartedly, "sure"... Sheldon One tried to feign non-interest but he had to look. Sheldon Three sat up and pulled out the box and lifted the lid. Sheldon One gasped. It was the same ring as he had for his Amy, down the every detail. Even their Meamaw's rings were the same.

Sheldon One continued to stare at the ring, and asked meekly, "How… um… are you going to ask her?"

Sheldon Three puffed his chest out and then with a broad smile, "I am going to take her to this spot where they filmed the season 7th finale… God that was the best episode. It starts off with Inara is captured by the Reevers…"

"THE PROPOSAL! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SAY!?" As much as Sheldon One had to hear about Firefly, he had to know how to propose to Amy. He had been wrestling with how to do it for months. Any information would be extremely helpful, but Three's was not the one to do it.

Sheldon Three just shrugged, " _'Amy, will you be my wife_?' I hope she doesn't get too weepy..."

"OVER THAT? How could she? That is the most unimaginative proposal ever! I thought you were mister romantic?" Sheldon Six expected much more from this gushing hippie of the group.

"Romantic? Who said anything about being Mr. Romantic? Amy doesn't need romance! She knows I love her! Besides, she hates hum drum chit chat. Direct and to the point, that's what my Amy loves." Sheldon Three put the ring safely back in his pocket, and resumed his relaxed position in his spot. He was pleased as punch with his plan, though the rest of the guys seemed uninspired.

Sheldon One was still confused, "Wait, what do you mean your Amy doesn't **need** romance?"

"She doesn't. I show her I love her, so why do I need to succumb to what some social convention supposedly says I need to prove that I love her. Flowers die, chocolates melt and are sticky. I just ask her how her day went, I am interested in what she has to say…I ask her about her work… I hold her and whisper how often I thought of her during the day, I tell her she's beautiful…"

"Slow down, what was that about holding her? Be specific. Like at the movies? Like your story where you manhandled her hand in the theater? Do you tell her you love her then?" Sheldon One needed all the help he could get from this group. "I NEED DETAILS!"

"NO! At home when we watch TV or sleep at night. Talking during a movie is rude! Who raised you?" Sheldon Three turned away from Sheldon One's question. Sheldon Six just snickered at it all.

"And you don't have to do romantic stuff? No date night silliness or the like? I need to write this down." Sheldon One was reaching for paper when Sheldon Six snapped from the other side of the room.

"You idiot! He doesn't need to show her romance, because for him, every night is date night! He does it naturally. It's not forced from him, because he really does love her. Even I know that!" Sheldon Six leaned back in the desk chair and rolled his eyes in disgust.

Sheldon Three nodded, "Yep, he's right. Amy never questions how I feel about her. She knows because I show her. I don't have to tell her. In fact, I've only told her I loved her about hmm… three times."

"Three times? That's it, from a hippie like you?" Sheldon Four's eyes popped open in disbelief.

Sheldon Three leaned forward to yell at Sheldon Four on the end of the couch. "Yes, from a hippie like me! You gloomy gus! If I wanted to state the obvious all the time, I'd be no better than Leonard."

Sheldon One nodded his head, "He's got a point there."

"Of course I do! You think that because I am secure in how I feel about Amy, I am less than you guys? Well, I say I am better. Sounds like you guys wasted a lot of time wondering about your feelings, or what you should do about them. When I have a feeling, I know it! I knew I was in love with her, and I want to marry her." Sheldon Three put on a nostalgic smile, "I knew I wanted to be with her for the rest of my life from the moment I saw her. It was just like PopPop said."

No one got to hear what PopPop said because Sheldon Four went on a rant. This time, the condescension dripping in his voice was understood by Sheldon Three.

"Sure sure, love of your life… but really…" Sheldon Four was the only one of the gob smacked Sheldons to not let the idea of a one night stand go. He was like a dog with a bone, "You didn't even know her and you hopped into bed and just made like the bunch of grunting monkeys from her lab? Who **are** you? More importantly, who was she?" Sheldon Four held his hand to his chest like an old church-going woman watching a Gay Porn at Sunday service.

"I am who I have always been, just better but more importantly, she was _**Amy**_! I know her as if I had been with her my whole life!" Sheldon Three was surprised that the other Sheldon's were so shocked by his erotic escapades. It had seemed so natural to him, but then he remembered that Leonard had had the same reaction, so perhaps it was surprising. However this group of men all knew Amy as he did; all except apparently number Six, but who could tell what he was thinking.

"What happened to the 3 date rule for coitus?" Sheldon Two was confused as now was Sheldon One.

"Yeah! Like you said earlier. Wolowitz says there is a threshold for coitus, 3 dates."

Sheldon Five rolled his eyes, "Dating advice from Howard Wolowitz? Not in ANY Universe would I follow that!"

Sheldon One nodded, "Fair point."

Sheldon Four was still traumatized by the actions of a person who was so apparently like to him that he could be a twin. Only Sheldon's trampy twin sister would have jumped in the sack so quickly, so maybe it WAS in the genes, "You're living with hindsight! Amy could have been a serial killer, even a democrat, or worse, a geologist!"

"Oh please, there are much worse things she could be than a geologist… though I can't think of one right now. But give me a moment." Sheldon Five looked away to ponder the question, but Sheldon Three didn't wait.

With a slight smile that conveyed more than his words, Sheldon Three told the group, "I had an instant connection to her. Just to clarify, I would have known if she was a Geologist. You can smell the mud on em"

Sheldon Five blurted out interrupting the whole scene, " I GOT IT! A BOTANIST! Amy hates Plants! Probably because her allergy to avocados will kill her! A BOTANIST! That would be MUCH worse than a Geologist!"

"Yeah, as bad as sleeping with some guy at the theater?" Sheldon Four mumbled, but Sheldon Two heard him and quickly tried to change the subject.

"I understand that instant connection you are saying Number Three." Sheldon Two mirrored the same smile as Sheldon Three. "I felt the same way when I first saw her unpacking boxes across the hall." He looked over to Sheldon Three and said softly, "Though it did take a while for my head to catch up with my heart."

Sheldon Five drew in a short breath, "She scared the hell outta me. I thought she was bat crap crazy."

"Where did you meet her?" Sheldon One asked.

Sheldon Five gave a coy grin, "We shared a dorm room when I worked Harvard in the summer of 2000, before Gore was elected…"

Sheldon Four interrupted, "Woah! Gore wasn't elected, it was Bush."

"BUSH? Oh lordy, no wonder you guys are so behind the times with technology! Bush campaigned that he would cut science funding…" Sheldon Five couldn't imagine a world with George Bush as President. But truth be told, Gore was no picnic either.

Sheldon Two's soured face told it all, "BEHIND THE TIMES? How the heck do you know what we are?"

Sheldon One jumped in his seat hoping that Sheldon Five's world was a futuristic paradise, "Oooh! Maybe Number Five is from the advanced future I've always dreamed of! Do you have robot minions? Like real ones, not the lame vacuum ones? Do you have the ability to put your consciousness in a robot body? Do ya?" Sheldon One was bouncing on the couch cushion.

"No…" Sheldon Five pointedly ignored him, "Anyway…. She was 20 years old. Actually, she had just turned 20 a few days before I met her. Feisty, fiery little spit fire, and with eyes that could cut a man. I didn't pay much attention to her till she challenged me on my roommate agreement."

Sheldon One smirked, "She seems 10 feet tall when she's in a fight, huh?"

Even Sheldon Two had to smile, "God I love that. No one challenges me like she does. No one."

Sheldon Three looked mortified, "Um… we haven't got into any fights… yet…" he gulped.

Sheldon Two let out a chuckle, "Well, strap in pal. That woman never backs down from a fight and even if you think you are winning, you're not. I think I've had my head bitten off at least 4 times."

"Ha! Rookie! Try 37 times! I still think I was right about the towels, that infernal woman! They should be folded in half, not thirds! Who made her the authority on terry cloth! I mean…" Sheldon Five stopped his pacing and looked around at the shocked views from his own face. Even Sheldon Six was rolling his eyes. "Anyway… towels aside…meeting her the first time shook me. But it had nothing to do with her looks. It had to do with her mind. It was just as slutty Sheldon said, 'an instant connection.'"

"HEY! YOU SAID NO NICK NAMES!" The other Sheldons screamed out in unison.

Sheldon Six snickered, "God, this is the best dream ever!"

"Number Six… we are real. You need to face facts that parallel worlds are real and this is a meeting of alternate realities. QUIT BEING A DOUBTING THOMAS! Anyway, back to Amy." Sheldon Five was getting a little sick of Sheldon Six's non-believer status and lack of participation. It was worse than his freshman classes he taught at Harvard.

Sheldon One had to admit, "When I first saw her in that coffee shop, I thought, this poor fool, taken in by a dating site with unsubstantiated mathematics designed to pray on the desperate."

Sheldon Four interrupted, "Brother, you can say that again."

Sheldon One continued, "However…then she spoke, but it was more than her words or her sultry husky voice. I couldn't stop staring at her. Sheldon Three is right… _for once_ … there was a connection, but I had no idea what it was. I noticed she was dressed so sensibly. I love that about her. That day…she was wearing a striped cardigan."

Sheldon Four could not hide the hint of smile on his sullen face as he chimed in, "The purple and black one."

Sheldon One nodded and continued, "…with the beige skirt. As soon as she said coitus was off the table, I knew I had met a kindred spirit. Or I thought I did. That woman has been trying to put coitus on the table for 5 years."

Sheldon Two started to snort, then chuckle, then out an out laugh. The rest of the group looked at him like his mother had **never** had him tested.

Sheldon Five, who seemed to have assumed the role of father figure for the group, grew concerned, "Um… number Two… what's up with you? Did you get into the Fruity Pebbles before you came here? You know how that jacks you up! Well, it does me anyway…"

"No… nothing like that…" Sheldon Two wiped his eyes and drew back his laugh, "I was trying to put coitus _**on**_ the table with that woman for months. Finally, after me practically begging and a drunken night at the Cheesecake Factory, we came to an agreement." Sheldon Two added, in almost a murmur, "Then we had coitus on the table just to prove the point." Sheldon Two smiled as did Sheldon Three, who held out his fist for Sheldon Two to fist bump him. Sheldon Two just shook his fist and gave him a nod of recognition.

Sheldon One's eyes popped out, "Just wait a cotton pickin minute. YOU begged her? Amy Farrah Fowler? That woman is the most sex starved love kitten around. There isn't a word that comes out her mouth that doesn't relate to sex in some way. "

"Amy Farrah Fowler doesn't think of sex all the time, she thinks of intimacy. BIG difference." Sheldon Two knew this better than anyone. Every night they would nuzzle together. Most of the time, it was Sheldon Two who initiated sex, not Amy.

Sheldon Five nodded, "He's right. Sorry, number One."

Sheldon One just shook his head, but Sheldon Two pursed his lips and in an arrogant manner stated confidently, "I think **you're** the love kitten, my friend. In fact, I will bet your prized Flash no.# 123 that every time YOU think she was mentioning sex, it was actually YOU thinking it. Can't tell me you don't have that Flash issue, pal! I know you got that from PopPop when you were 4!"

Sheldon Five was almost jumping with his enthusiasm, "Oooh nice, the start of the DC multiverse with the Flash of Two Worlds, with Barry Allen and Jay Garrick Flash versions. How completely apropos to bet a comic with parallel worlds considering our current situation…" His smile dropped and he volleyed at look at Sheldon One, "Don't bet him."

"Don't worry, I won't!" He rolled his eyes at Sheldon Five. As if he would ever bet his most prized comic book on something that could never be proven. Besides, he had learned his lesson with betting comic books after he lost one to Wolowitz over a cricket. What he didn't admit was that he would have lost this bet, and he knew it. Sheldon One had been thinking more and more about increasing intimacy with Amy. Their make out session was a huge step for him, and he was floored that she wasn't more pleased about it, no matter what he was thinking.

Sheldon Two gave up on the bet, but not his point, "Well, I have to admit, when I realized that I wanted to be with her in that fashion, it wasn't an overnight decision. Sorry Number Three, it wasn't. It took a while. I didn't want to give in to those thoughts. I was worried that as soon as I did, I'd be no better than Wolowitz or half of that grunting endocrine junkie crowd. I was convinced it was off putting, like kissing."

"Yeah… You make a good point… I used to think that kissing was yucky. Now, I find it… Not… abhorrent." Sheldon One looked toward the kitchen, not wanting to meet the eyes of the other Sheldon's.

"Not abhorrent? Please… You just told us you were all sloppy face with Amy on the couch last night. Making out like teenagers, remember that? I'll bet that you even went in for another kiss, didn't you? Can't fool me." Sheldon Three lowered his glare at Sheldon One. He could sniff out a hypocrite and at that moment that man reeked of it.

"When it comes to kissing, you seem to be an expert, Number Three! Number One is right. Kissing is yucky." Sheldon Four scrunched up his nose.

Sheldon Two was indignant at Sheldon Four's sudden authority on kissing, "How would you know?"

Sheldon Four sneered at Two, "There's kissing in Star Trek, smarty pants."

"Well let me tell you, it's different when **you** are doing it." Everyone in the room agreed except Sheldon Four who looked at his hands, and Sheldon Six who looked like he was taking mental notes.

Sheldon One cleared his throat, "I said, I _**used**_ to think it was yucky. Not anymore."

Sheldon Two tried to help him out , "Look, I can tell you are still holding on to that voice in your head that says intimacy is a short road to being no better than the average man or worse, Leonard."

"Exactly. Well said!" Sheldon Four smiled at him but Sheldon Two ignored him.

"Well… that's wrong. It doesn't consume you, it just adds to who you are."

Sheldon One didn't believe a word of it as he looked at the love soaked face of Sheldon Three, "Then explain that guy! Cause from where I sit, it's all he thinks about!"

All the Sheldon's were looking at Sheldon Three in his spot on the couch and none noticed Sheldon Four's blush at the mention of sex. He could never admit that to this unwelcoming crowd that he did think of sex often.

"Hey! I'm sitting right here! Besides, it's not all I think about! It's just when she's around me." Sheldon Three was getting a little tired of being picked on by this group. If he had wanted to feel like the odd man out again, he would go back to high school. This was worse, because the bullies all looked like him. He was about ready to snap.

"Which from what you describe, is all the time!" Sheldon One was still worried he would lose himself.

Sheldon Six was getting tired of the group picking on Sheldon Three as well. Even though they were all just illusions, he hated bullies, "Oh, leave him be. So what if he is happy! From the looks of it, some of ya'all could use a little happy in your life." Sheldon Six sucked his teeth as he looked at Sheldons One and Four who were next to each other on the couch. They looked at each other and looked back at Sheldon Six with a frightened stare.

Sheldon Five moved between the staring contest, "At first, sure, you think about it a lot. It tangles you up, but you don't mind. I mean the first week with Amy, before I had to leave to go back to California… Let's just say I had to remind myself to eat…"

Sheldon Two agreed, "Yep. Once we got past that first time, that initial threshold, it was overwhelming. I won't lie. But I'll tell you what I actually spent more time worrying about…about NOT doing it. It was all consuming and not a very good time, let me tell you. I was so worried about having to have coitus, that it affected my relationship with her. I was snappy, dismissive and regretted my time with her, because just being near her was a constant reminder of what I was afraid of. Every slight touch was a notice informing me what I couldn't do, and I hated it."

Sheldon Four cleared his throat, and held his hands tightly as he felt his pulse rise. Sheldon Two's words hit too close to home for his comfort.

Sheldon One felt those words hit him as well. He would often be short with Amy when he assumed she was after coitus with him. He knew he wasn't ready for sex, and had interpreted her mention of anything intimate as a slight. He looked to Sheldon Two with large eyes, took a large swallow and said meekly, "That's how I used to feel… All the time… I mean, date night should be fun, but I am always worried that night will be **the** night. Prom was almost ruined because I thought I HAD to have coitus that night because of some ritual."

"Wait, you went to prom with Amy?" Sheldon Four interrupted him.

"Of course, who else would she go to Prom with?" Sheldon One furrowed his brow.

"Stuart."

"STUART?" Sheldon One rose up almost 2 feet just thinking of Stuart dancing with his Amy. It made his tummy twist up like taffy.

"Never mind, I'll tell you later." Sheldon Four slumped back in the couch arm.

Sheldon One took a deep breath to calm down and continued his story, "I mean… we used to have fun, you know. We would spend hours doing Fun with Flags, play games, or just sit together. Then she started to push on the coitus thing, or maybe I thought she was… I don't know. Anyway, after Prom, when she said I didn't have to worry, it was just such a relief. We started to have fun again. She understood me. I fell in love with her again."

"Again?"

Sheldon One sucked in lower lip, "Okay… I can't lie to you guys. I've loved that woman for a _long_ time. I don't know exactly when it happened, but yes, I do."

Sheldon Three couldn't help but smile again, "Probably when you first met her."

"Oh, come on…" Sheldon Four rolled his eyes.

"Hey! It not like I wasn't around other girls, ya know! My sister tried to fix me with half her Nsync Fan Club one summer. I never noticed them, or ANY other girl. Science was my lady." Sheldon Three was getting tired of being defensive with Sheldon Four who seemed to pick on him more than his own brother.

'As it should be!" Sheldon Four snarled.

"Well, grumpy, it wasn't because of I was AFRAID OF THEM, Like some people!"

"Whatever..." Sheldon Four looked away.

Sheldon Three thought back to Amy and his grandfather's wisdom. He kept his bright smile, as if he was reaching back for a memory that pleased him. "PopPop always told me that when love comes, you're not prepared, you're never ready. You just know it, the instant you see her you'll feel it in your bones. That's what it was like when I saw her. That's why I knew and I never had one shred of doubt. PopPop was right."

Sheldon One asked, "Wait, **when** did he say that to you?"

"When I got my PhD. He died soon after." Sheldon Two could see number One's face grow pale, and he asked, "Why?"

Sheldon One swallowed deep with a renewed envy for this happy man sitting next to him. He got to be with PopPop for 10 years more than he. What did he tell him? What lessons did he learn that he never got. The rest of the group felt it too. Sheldon One said in quiet voice, reminiscent of his younger self, "He died when I was 5."

Sheldon Three looked around the room and all the other Sheldons nodded their heads, "Oh, dear. You should know, he was very proud of me, ergo, US! I knew it too. He was there for me when Dad died. He always told me, never be afraid of love. Oh sure, it may seem scary, like you are losing yourself to it, but it becomes part of you and you're better for it. He said he had only felt like he was a whole man after he met Meamaw. I could see that he felt like that about Meamaw till the day he died, and I felt like that with Amy. I just knew was as if everything before her was in monochrome, but when I met her everything became multicolored. Trivialities like her political status or even she would kill me in my sleep didn't matter… I just knew she was the one."

The hush over the room as the Sheldons all absorbed PopPop wisdom from beyond the grave was shattered by Sheldon Four's shrill voice crackling through the air.

"You didn't know ANYTHING! You're living in the deluded world of hindsight and its clouding your memory!" Sheldon Four didn't like his own unwavering philosophy that love was a waste of time being questioned, even by his dead grandfather who couldn't bother to stay alive for Sheldon Four. He was even more bitter and envious than the rest of the group. He was unimpressed with PopPop's wisdom, and still upset that Sheldon Three had sex without knowing Amy at all, "You didn't even know her name!? I mean, wow. How hard is it? _My name is Sheldon Cooper, what's your name?_ See, done!"

"Well, we had other things on our minds." Sheldon Three grinned sheepishly, as if he had just been caught with his hands in the cookie jar.

Sheldon Four just couldn't believe that a person with the same DNA as he would just jump in the sack with a person without even knowing their name, "I just have to wrap my head around this…Are you REALLY telling us… That you met this woman, and slept with her on the first night? I mean, that's as bad Wolowitz!"

"HEY! Watch your tone! I am nothing like Wolowitz! It was Amy! Just like **Your** Amy!"

Sheldon Four jumped up from the arm of the couch and stood in front of Sheldon Three "It certainly wasn't anything like my Amy; she would never sleep with a stranger on the first night of meeting him. She's not a slut…" Before Sheldon Four could get the words out of his mouth, he felt a searing pain on the side of his jaw. He blinked his eyes open and found that he was on the floor, with Sheldon Three above him, cradling his hand to his chest.

"Listen up, you skinny little miscreant. Don't you EVER speak of my Amy like that again, you understand me? I'll knock you into another dimension where you study art history, you understand? Now you apologize for what you said about my Amy, this instant, or so help me…I'll…show you what PopPop taught me to do to bullies!"

Sheldon Four hadn't been hit for an age, at least not by a man. Certainly not by a man who looked like himself. However, he was never one to back down from a fight, and also too bullheaded to shut up.

"Or you'll what? Start spraying patchouli around and sing Kumbaya, you lovesick flower child!" Sheldon Four scrambled on the floor to get away from Sheldon Three.

Sheldon Six, though loving all the action, jumped off his seat and rushed over to Sheldon Four who was still cowering on the ground at the feet of Sheldon Three who was about ready to kick him between his legs in his under used man parts. Lord knows, Sheldon Three thought, he didn't need them. Sheldon Six chuckled, and slapped Sheldon Three on the back.

"Oh, boy you got a hook on, ya don't cha? Dad'd be proud of that one too, but next time, don't hold your thumb in your fist..."

Sheldon Six turned his gaze down to Sheldon Four, "Now you listen up, slim. You better take back what you said to Number Three about his woman. I bet Mom raised you better than that! Say sorry or I'll be after ya next, ya hear?" Sheldon Six's accent was as thick as the day he left Texas, as if he had never heard any other person's voice often enough for it to have influenced him. He glared at Sheldon Four who looked away.

"Sorry." Sheldon Four shifted his mouth around the word. He wasn't used to saying it. In fact the last time he had used the word was to Amy in her lab.

Sheldon Five came over to him and offered him his hand to pull him off the ground. "Here, get up. Maybe you should tell your story next. Let's find out what makes a bitter ol' Sheldon like you tick."

"A ticking time bomb of self-hatred and doubt, that's what…" Sheldon Three snarled at Sheldon Four. "Jerk!"

Sheldon Four sat in the coveted spot to tell his tale. "Well, you lovelorn beatnik, let me tell you why the woman you just met will break your heart into a million pieces. Once you hear the story, ya' all will all realize that I am right, that devilish woman will lead you down a path of destruction. Get out now, while you still have your sanity."

Sheldon Four took a deep breath, "It all started when that crafty vixen tricked me to go on that Valentine's Day Train trip. That's was when everything went to hell…"

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 **A/N: Dear Readers: Thank you so much for all your support! Things are heating up for our group of Sheldons. Next up, we find out about Sheldon Four!**

 **I hope the recap at the top of the chapter. I can re-post at the bottom too. Tell me if you want a change. I dont want you to lose the story trying to figure out which one is which. I hope it is becoming more clear as the chapter go along.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	5. Chapter 5: Sheldon Four's Folly

**Six Sheldon's**

 **Chapter 5: Sheldon Four's Folly**

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 **This is the back story for Sheldon Four. It is written in POV of Sheldon. I will alternate the POV for the backstories.**

 **Thanks to my Beta, ShAmy4evr**

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I knew that woman couldn't keep her sex raging hormone driven hands off me! I mean, to trick me into Romance with a train! It's seemed almost cruel to use my love of trains and passions against me. It was supposed to be a pleasant trip we both could enjoy. It turned into some chicanery to get me all hippy dippy and profess my love or some such ridiculous notion. I am glad I clipped that bird of nonsense before it got wings.

She told me to enjoy myself on the vacation. How is talking to a person about trains, on a train not enjoying myself? I don't know why she was so upset that I hadn't spent time with her, we were together all the time. I was elated that the conductor had offered to play his banjo. I mean come on, how often do you get a chance to listen to a nine fingered banjo player. The worst was when she was so rude to my new friend Eric. I never knew she had such lousy manners, but I should have known, coming from California. She tricked me again, with her mousy mannerisms when the whole time she was hiding the disposition of a pole cat.

She wanted romance, I gave it to her. I stared into her eyes, but she blinked. Stupid concept anyway. I drank her burning bible juice, but it just got me sick. I bet that that was her plan all along to get me liquored up and then take advantage of me when I was passed out drunk and I as much as told her so. I said, _I bet you think I should kiss you now, huh? You'd like that! Well, forget it! I'm not going to be your boy toy, missy._

She stormed off and headed to the glass roof carriage. I was pleased the fight was over. Finally, I could enjoy the trip again, but then she sic'd her dogs onto me. Bernadette and Howard came back before I could make my escape. Oh boy, howdy, was she mad. I thought Amy was off the rails, but Bernadette… Man… haha... Off the rails. I'll have to tell that to Eric when I see him again.

The rest of the weekend was spent in awkward silence, but I was thankful for that brief moment of peace. I tried to ask her if she wanted to eat some breakfast or listen to the Banjo player, but she just drooped her shoulders even more and gave me those lifeless eyes. I hate those eyes. Why does she give them to me so much?

Finally, the disaster of the weekend was over. Leonard greeted me when I came home. I told him I had made a new friend and met a 9 fingered banjo player. That should have been thrilling enough, but he wanted to know was how it went with Amy. What about Amy? Amy Amy Amy. That's all he asked about, like the Valentine's weekend was about her or something. When he told me she could still be mad, I didn't believe him. Amy doesn't hold a grudge like that.

When I brought Raj to our anniversary, she didn't hold a grudge. She liked the Spiderman quote and didn't leave me to get my own ride home. Little did she know I had just watched Spiderman right before she picked me up that night. She didn't hold a grudge when I didn't go with her to her Aunt's awful Birthday party. Old Bird probably shed this mortal coil after that party, so like she'd remember anyway. Amy didn't hold a grudge when I dismissed her paper that had been published in Neuron, and that tiara cost me a pretty penny. She even forced a kiss on me when I gave her that costly hair piece and I didn't grouse even though it was a violation of the Relationship Agreement! That woman better appreciate all I do for her! But does she? No. Typical moody female.

Everything went back to normal, till she had to open her big mouth and say we had room for a table on the landing. I mean, of all people, she should know that I hate change. Well, between Penny pulling Leonard's puppet strings with her fancy genitals, and Leonard being a complete wimp, they got the darn table. I knew I should have used that whip sound app when he showed up with that god forsaken monstrosity.

I told Leonard I didn't like the change, but did he care? NO? I compromise with that man all the time, and he does nothing for me! Then Penny had to spout off about how I have changed, and it was because of Amy. How I was the frog who became a prince or some such romantic nonsense. I thought my frog in a pot of boiling water analogy was inspired, but they just twisted it like they always do.

That woman was altering my personality. Changing what it means to be Sheldon Cooper. Well… No siree. Sheldon Cooper is too unique to change under the siren's call of some russet haired temptress. I am not going to change. Not because some hotsy totsy has enslaved me with her beguiling charms. No way. I was becoming a more open minded and affectionate person. Soon, I'd be hugging people to say thank you, declaring my love for her, having coitus, getting married, having children, enjoying our sunset years together. NO WAY. I put a stop to that. It stopped that night!

I rushed over to her apartment as fast as I could on the lousy city bus system. I held my breath as I knocked. Thankfully she answered the door right away and we could get this messy business over with for good. I rushed in and told her that it was time to terminate the relationship once and for all. She seemed composed, even relieved, or was that sadness, I can never be sure. There were none of the tears that I expected, thank goodness. She signed the termination, no questions asked, and even wanted to take the survey, but I didn't want to wait around for her to do so. It was a 75 questionnaire and I wanted to watch Walking Dead that night.

I asked her how she would like to proceed with our relationship, and she answered with a little too much snark for my taste, "What Relationship?" She said she had already moved on. It seemed awfully quick, but Amy is a smart woman, smartest woman I've met. She knew when something wasn't going to work. She needed to return to science as much as I. This relationship of ours was a distraction. A distraction from science, from hobbies, from friends, from enjoying life.

She looked at me like I was supposed to say something else, as if I didn't know my own actions. I just wanted to get away from those jade eyes judging me. I said nothing, and glanced at her. She seemed pleased when she gave me that smile like she always does, but it seemed forced. Her eyes seemed different, more glossy, but she was wearing that loud pink sweater I told her I hated, so who could tell.

I left her apartment without incident in a rush. It was a short ride back to Los Robles, and I hoped to get home in time to enjoy Walking Dead however, I had to deal with Penny and Leonard, who were waiting at the door for me like tigers in the jungle waiting for prey.

Then it started, all the moaning, and questions like how could I do this to Amy, didn't I have any feelings, how I was just a selfish so and so. I don't even want to repeat what Penny called me that night, but I do have to say she was being a pushy B about it all. Finally, I gave up the idea of watching ANYTHING in peace and went to bed. All their yelling must have upset me, because I tossed and turned all night.

Thanks to Leonard's yelling at me I woke up late by 2 minutes the next morning. I was off schedule, and it disturbed my whole day and put me in a foul mood. Sheldon Cooper is never late, yet there I was strolling into work like some slacker at 8:32 AM. Unforgivable. I told Leonard to keep his opinions and comments to himself, he had disrupted my schedule and that was ' _something up with which I would not put'_! He didn't even recognize my Winston Churchill quote, ignorant cretin.

Leonard finally kept his yap shut. The guys were not so pleasant. Amy was right when she said the rate of gossip was proportional the number of nodes squared. It was fun doing the social sciences, even for that brief time. What was not fun was listening to Raj and Howard say all their efforts to find me the perfect mate was for naught and that I would die bitter and alone drowning in my own tears. What do they know? I will have tears of joy when I finally clutch my Nobel!

That night, it was Chinese food for dinner as was our tradition. All the group gathered around that hideous table. I, of course sat on the couch alone. Amy had chosen not to dine with the group that night, she was probably throwing herself into work. They had their usual banter back and forth, but the evening was subdued. I couldn't believe no one sat with me. No one defended me against that postmodern monstrosity of fake mahogany.

Penny and Bernadette were whispering about Amy, as if I couldn't hear them with my Vulcan hearing. They said she wasn't coming over to dinner anymore, and that in future, girls' night had to be moved to Amy's instead. Penny seemed upset, but that was probably because it might mean she would have to drive, and so her drinking would be reduced. Given my lack of sleep from the night before, I excused myself and made my way to bed. Again, sleep eluded me. I reasoned it was that piece of wood sitting in my living room taunting my sleep.

The next few weeks were the same. Or was it a month, I cannot be sure. The lack of sleep was killing me and affected my cognitive functions, but at least it I had the weekends and I was not required to work. Then Monday would always rear its ugly head. I guess Garfield had a point when he said he hated Mondays. I never understood why Amy Farrah Fowler liked that comic strip, but refused to enjoy the more appealing super hero comic books. I must correct myself, she did enjoy Thor. I wonder if she was upset as I was when the comic book store burned down. One will never know.

Speaking of the comic book store it was the last in a long line of disasters. First, Star Wars day was ruined by Professor Proton deciding to die. The cake Bernadette made Howard was a nice gesture. I wonder how she learned to bake like that, the only person I know who make a cake that well was Amy. The cake even tasted like the one she made me during those darn closure experiments.

I tried to switch my field of study, but the University refused to let me switch! They were tying me down, forcing me into something I didn't want, just like Amy had tried to do. When I want change, they don't let me have it. When I don't want change, they berate me as immature! It was all too much.

Then, another in a long line of poor life choices, Leonard and Penny announced their engagement. The only bright spot was I hoped they would move that hideous table to Penny's apartment since we would need the room if she was going to be living with us for a one day a month. Then Leonard informs me, just as he did with that table, that he is going to want to live with his new bride! He had the nerve to suggest I could move across the hall. I should leave my home! I was furious.

I thought to go to Amy's but we hadn't spoken in over a month. She needed time to adjust to our new relationship paradigm. It was a good thing too, I was madder than a hornet, and who knows what I would have said to her. I went to the comic book store as sanctuary from my troubles, but the smell of soot and ash overwhelmed me. I had to get away and clear my head. I needed to think and get away from String Theory, away from romantic roommates and away from tables.

Leonard tracked me to the train station, like some NSA mother hen. He brought his future bride with him. Surprised he could get far with that ball and chain around his neck. At least Penny had the wisdom to tell him to let me go, and go I did.

I was gone for 45 days before the rapscallions robbed me. The evil highway men even took my pants! I had a hard time explaining to the thickheaded police officer that I was no crazy vagrant. I was never so happy to see Leonard. He came alone to pick me up. I was little surprised to see only him, but thankful that no one saw that my train trip was a failure. Not that there was anyone who cared if I failed. Leonard has always put me on a pedestal, and Penny didn't look up to anyone unless it was the bottle of wine to see if there were any drops left. I returned home, and showed Leonard and Penny my train trip photos. I checked my email, and Facebook, Twitter but there were no annoying messages filling my inbox. I let out a sigh of relief and slept in my bed. But for some unknown reason, I still couldn't sleep.

I had the same fitful rest on the train. Sleep was an exercise in futility. I was able to sleep for only three hours at a time. Of course I chose to sleep when the marauders came a calling. If I had been more rested, I would have heard them with my acute Vulcan hearing, but I was in the middle of dream about a farm house in the middle of nowhere and I was clothed in my Spiderman underoos readying myself for a bath. It was the first pleasant dream I had had for months, and of course, I was robbed. It was almost like fate was laughing at my pain.

When I slipped into my own comfortable bed, in my safe home, I thought all was right with the world, but sleep was still a cruel temptress. I would fall asleep and then wake up suddenly, with a start. I never remembered my dreams, just the frustration. The lack of sleep was taking its toll, and I knew the cause. That cursed table. Ever since Leonard brought that evil piece of laminated wood into my home, my world was in shambles. Leonard refused to get rid of it, citing that everyone had enjoyed using it while I was away. Even Amy came by and said she loved it. I knew she would never defend me. At least she was part of the group again and we could get back to sense of normalcy, but I was wrong.

Every meal, all the group gathered around that cursed table. Since my return, Amy had decided not to join the group anymore. No one said why, they just offered nervous looks and poorly hushed whispers. That furnishing was affecting my appetite as well. How could I enjoy my meal without the witty banter of my voice educating the masses? The group's decision to dine at that cursed piece of wood was affecting me physically along with my sleep patterns. There must have been some varnish or oil that Leonard was using on it that was adversely affecting my sleep.

Even getting back into my routine didn't help. I tried to do a Fun with Flags episode, but it was flat and the camera angle was off the entire time and I didn't know it. I went to the zoo, but my hay fever must have been affecting me, I had watery eyes and a runny nose as soon I as reached the monkey cages so I left early. My lack of rest was affecting my work, which according to the university would be a junior professorship. I didn't have one student in my class, not that I cared. I spent my time wandering the halls of Caltech science department trying to clear my head, but nothing helped.

I even thought to succumb to modern drug therapy, and went to Bernadette and to ask her for some magic potion to help me sleep. If that drug company stooped so low as to employ Penny, it should have no ethical qualms about handing out sleeping pills. Bernadette rattled off some nonsense about missing something that was really important in my life, I didn't listen to word, but then she mentioned Amy's name. It was then I found out the reason she was not coming over for meals. She had moved on, back into the arms of the purveyor of picture books: Stuart. Of course, Bernadette didn't say they were dating, but he had been a great comfort to her. What the devil did that mean, a great comfort? More pumpkin lattes and hugs at her door, no doubt.

Before I had a chance to process anything, Bernadette handed me a silver bag. It was the same one I gave Amy her Tiara in and it once again held that jeweled crown. According to Bernadette, she was supposed to have given it back to me before my train trip, but with all the upsetting things going on in my life, she had held off. I queried why getting a gift returned would be upsetting, but she just wrapped her arms around me in some feigned effort to comfort some unknown pain. I pushed her and the trinket away. I didn't want the darn thing back! What am I supposed to do with a diamond crown?! I told her to keep it, or hock it, I didn't care, I just wanted to sleep. I went back to the sanctuary of my home, but there it sat, that damn table.

I had had enough. I need to sleep and that damn table wasn't going to keep me from it a minute longer. I took the Game of Thrones sword off the wall and headed over to the wooden beast. It taunted me with its brown shiny surface and hints of green flecks, like eyes staring back at me.

I welded the sword with all my might and started hacking and slashing, hitting and piercing the damn thing. Each swipe I asked it why… Why was it doing this to me, as if that table could answer for my sleepless nights and lack of appetite? Why was it causing the pain in my chest every time I looked at it? It said nothing, just answered back with shards of wood and bits of dust.

I continued my assault, but then Leonard came from across the hall. He called to me, but I didn't hear him, or didn't care. When the sword became too much to raise, I threw it down and starting hitting it with my fists, cutting and scraping my hands on the splinters, but I didn't care about the blood or the pain, I wanted it gone. Leonard came over and wrapped his arms around me to stop. I cried out for him to let me go. Let me go. Why can't he let me go? Why can't he let me go? Finally I collapsed on the floor with Leonard rocking me, telling me it was going to be okay. It would be now. That damn table was done for and it would never taunt me again.

I wish that was true, but even after Leonard took the table out, I still knew it had once been there. The meals were again around the coffee table, but the thought of that darn table still taunted me. All the food that Leonard brought was bland, there was no use in eating it. Even meal time conversation was banal and useless. They were all a twitter about redoing Prom, another waste of time. At least they knew my thoughts on the matter, and didn't bother to include me. Besides, it was on laundry night, and I had better things to do with my time.

The night of the dreaded event came. Leonard was beaming in his stupid monkey suit. Poor sap didn't realize it was waste of time to relive past mistakes and regrets. If he had a miserable prom before, why do it again? Only fools make the same mistake twice. Of course he didn't listen. He told me there was a ritual that after prom, the dates have coitus. No wonder Leonard was so eager to go, he would never pass up a chance to flood his endocrine system like a grunting monkey.

Leonard went up to the roof to dance the night away with his blushing future bride. She had been cagey the whole evening, asking me if I was going to come up to the roof, because she needed to know if she should put out more cups or some such nonsense. The last time I was on that filthy roof, Raj teased me with dirty sock. I would never want to relive that day. Just the thought of that day and that darn sock made my eyes water.

I grabbed my laundry basket and soap and left the apartment. That's when I saw her. Amy was walking up to the 5th floor, on the arm of Stuart. Stuart was her date. Just the thought of it made my stomach flip.

She turned when she heard my door open and froze. I had never seen her look like that before. She was wearing a pale blue green dress with fabric so light, it looked like fairy wings. Her hair was pulled off her face, but still loose hanging around her neck in waves. Speaking of her neck, it was exposed like I had never seen. Stuart's shill voice broke my trance.

"I'll meet you up there, Amy. I'm sure you have some stuff to talk about."

What the hell does he know what we talk about? How could he begin to comprehend half of what we have discussed? No! Some failed artist with an ill-fitting suit knows nothing of the sparkling conversation I have had with this woman standing before me. She must have been feeling sorry for him, and had let him take her to this farce as a pity date. No other explanation. Then the thought occurred to me, did Amy know about this prom ritual? Stuart knew, no doubt. The cad.

Finally, after 6 months, I heard her voice again, "Hello Sheldon." The sound alone shot through me like an arrow.

I was short with her, but still hearing her voice was not unpleasant, "Hello. I see you are reliving your failed youth as well."

"I never had a date to prom before and I am looking forward to the evening, yes." She didn't seem to be able to look me in the eye. That was fine with me. I wouldn't have to see her judgmental glare.

"I didn't go to my prom either. I was too busy studying to waste my time with such folly."

She answered me, but gave a lame excuse, "I'm sure you were. But I wanted to know what it's like to dance with someone who has arms."

"That's it, isn't it? You just need to have someone tell you that you're pretty? Kiss you? You just let your endocrine rule your body, don't ya? This is Zack all over again. I shoulda known then. You're just like all the rest of them, slave to your hind brain. You were never like me."

She inched closer to me, but her eyes were like lasers and her voice was raised, "No, Sheldon I wasn't. I want all those things, yes! And it's not weak, or useless. It part of life. You can have a relationship and be part of science too, Sheldon!"

Oh, she is going to bring up that old chestnut, "Your career would be much further if you cared more for science and less for prom rituals!" No recognition about the prom ritual, but it's just a matter of time if she is dating… I can't believe she was dating Stuart…

"My career is doing just fine."

Was that a smug grin? I can't tell, but still it stung, "Oh, is that slam to me because I switched from string theory and haven't had a good idea since?"

"I don't know what you are doing. I don't keep up with your career anymore. Just like you never bothered to keep up with mine!"

"Oh… I get it, that's how it's going to be, huh? Well, while you're hoped up on your raging girly hormones, doing god knows what with Stuart, like a tramp, I'll be getting my…." She didn't let me finish. I felt a blinding pain across my cheek. That woman had the nerve to slap me! ME, Sheldon Cooper!

"YOU HIT ME!"

"YOU called me a tramp! HOW DARE YOU! You have no right to infer that is all I think about. We were never intimate ! Even though you let Barry Kripke **think** we were having sex."

I had hoped she would never find out about that, but Penny must have spilled the beans. I ignore the comment. "Well, I tried to give you everything you wanted, but you just kept wanting more and more!"

"You never bothered to give me anything! I am the one who fought for our relationship, not you! I only ever kissed you once!"

"Yeah, try twice! Once when I gave you that tiara and before when you were drunk!" I held my stinging cheek, then I realized what or better, **who** it was that had ruined Amy Farrah Fowler. That booze slinging Nebraska corn husker. "I see what happened to you! Penny! She has turned you into a grunting hormone driven drunk!"

Amy raised her hand to me again, but I caught it this time and pulled her into my chest. She struggled against me, but I wouldn't let her go, "Is this what you want, Amy? Someone to tell you that you're pretty? You are pretty, okay!? You're breathtaking. I can barely look at you and not panic!" I put my arms around her waist and held her next to me while the scent of hair filled my senses. She stopped struggling and just goes limp in my arms, like she's given up.

She looked up at me with those darn lifeless green eyes filled with disappointment and regret. God, I hate it when she looks at me like that. I would give her what she wanted. I bent down to kiss her so she could see it meant nothing but a rush of hormones. She should know better, she is a neurobiologist. She knows love is nothing but the body's reaction to long term exposure to someone. Nothing more. Well, maybe a brain parasite, but that was unlikely. She should know better! She would see when I kiss her that it would be the same. We would be the same. Nothing would change! But she pulled away from me before my lips touched hers.

"No." She snapped the word off her mouth like a whip hitting my back. She held out her arm at me, pushing me away. I tried to walk toward her but she backed up, "No. I'm done being treated like a door mat with you. I'm done hoping that you will change, that you would find me attractive, that you would somehow figure out a way to say you love me or feel it or any emotion at all. No. I am better than you, Sheldon Cooper. I deserve better than you. One day, you will figure out what you lost when you let me go and I hope it hurts, but I doubt it will. You don't feel those emotions. I don't have the patience to educate you on the matter or wait for you to realize on your own. You don't deserve me, you never did. Good bye."

She turned to walk up the stairs, holding up her skirt as she took each step. I finally figured out what to say to her smug face, and I called back to her, "THE ONLY THING I LOST WAS THE LAST 5 MINTUES OF LAUNDRY NIGHT!" But I heard the door the roof close.

There was no point in doing laundry now, I was completely off schedule. I brought the laundry basket in and left it by the front door. I guess I would have to ruin my Sunday doing it. I had to wash the clothes I was wearing anyway. My hay fever was acting up again, just like the zoo and every time I thought of that dirty sock.

Hay fever. That was all. It was probably that woman's perfume all over my clothes from holding her to my chest. I striped off my shirts and held them in my hands. I had to be sure it was her scent causing this reaction. I sniffed my shirts and sure enough, my eyes watered even more. The flowery smell was even causing my throat to close up. I knew what to do, I had to get used to it, that's all. I just held the shirts to my face and let them absorb all the watery eyed reaction to her perfume. Tomorrow I would wash it all out. All of it. I'd wash everything, twice, just to get that smell out of my memory. I looked up at the landing where the table once stood. I think I would have to move to escape its memory. It was the only way I'd get some sleep.

* * *

 **Here is the recap again:**

 **Sheldon One: He is the Sheldon from the Show. This story takes place minutes after the Skype call ended from the Finale.**

 **Sheldon Two: He is from my Big Reversal Theory: The Vixen in 4B story. You will find out how he did with Amy and how their lives are now, 6 years later.**

 **Sheldon Three: Let's just call him happy. He is the Sheldon who had a one night stand with Amy after meeting her in the theater.**

 **Sheldon Four: He broke up with Amy over the Table incident in Season 7 and hasn't been with her since.**

 **Sheldon Five: This is the Sheldon from my Caustic Cohabitation Conundrum. He is the one who met Amy when he was 21 at Harvard. This is 15 years later and a lot of changes have happened.**

 **Sheldon Six: Non-believer. His story will unfold later, but he is unlike them all.**

* * *

 **Next time, we find out what the other Sheldon's think of this and especially Sheldon One.**

 **What are you thoughts? Thank you guys for all the reviews! I have to tell you, I'm really overwhelmed!**


	6. Chapter 6: Future's Past

**Six Sheldon's**

 **Chapter 6: Future's Past**

* * *

 **Here is the recap again:**

 **Sheldon One: He is the Sheldon from the Show. This story takes place minutes after the Skype call ended from the Finale.**

 **Sheldon Two: He is from my Big Reversal Theory: The Vixen in 4B story. You will find out how he did with Amy and how their lives are now, 6 years later.**

 **Sheldon Three: Let's just call him happy. He is the Sheldon who had a one night stand with Amy after meeting her in the theater.**

 **Sheldon Four: He broke up with Amy over the Table incident in Season 7 and hasn't been with her since.**

 **Sheldon Five: This is the Sheldon from my Caustic Cohabitation Conundrum. He is the one who met Amy when he was 21 at Harvard. This is 15 years later and a lot of changes have happened.**

 **Sheldon Six: Non-believer. His story will unfold later, but he is unlike them all.**

* * *

Sheldon Four drew a long breath into his small frame. He seemed so small sitting in the spot. He wrapped his arms around his thin chest and continued his tale, "After we broke up, I didn't see her till that night of the Prom when she was on the arm of Stuart. I'm sure she had a _great_ time with him. He probably told her she was _pretty_ , and danced with her, and smelled that hint of strawberries in her hair. I bet she lapped it all up like a love sick teenager and got the much needed physical contact that she _CAN'T_ seem to live without! Uh… I bet afterwards they probably got ice cream and he drove her home and gave her another one of those hugs he is so found of giving. Or maybe that Prom ritual. I bet they did that! I bet they are planning their perfect life together. I am **so** happy for them! I should send a mushroom log for the wedding!" Sheldon Four's teeth clenched from holding in his pain.

"Well I think we found the one Sheldon who has mastered sarcasm…" Sheldon Two rolled his eyes.

Sheldon Three was muddled and whispered to Sheldon Five standing next to him, "That was sarcasm? I thought he was genuinely happy that Amy was with someone who would treat her as she deserves?"

"Shh. He's not ready…"

Sheldon Four continued his story, "I haven't seen her since that night. She transferred to back to UCLA, so there is no chance of seeing her at work. The gang doesn't get together anymore, or if they do, it's at Penny's house of debauchery. That woman's alcoholic degeneracy is what led to Amy's demise. We had a relationship of the mind and Penny filled her head with the mundane thoughts of lesser minds such as Cosmo Quizzes and movies about time traveling mail boxes. I am glad I don't eat with them anymore. I don't need them in my life distracting me from science: it's the only thing that doesn't stab you in the back…"

As Sheldon Four had finished his tale, he sat back in the spot and sucked in his bottom lip refusing to look at the other Sheldons. He didn't want see the distain and disappointment reflected from the eyes of his own face. He had had enough of that look from his so called friends, and his mother who came to town after Leonard had squealed that he wasn't eating anything but strawberries. She had had that same look, no sympathy, just annoyance. He knew he didn't have a friend, not even in a room filled with copies of himself.

Sheldon One spoke first, "Oh my lord… that could have been me! Amy didn't let me…" His voice quaked in this throat.

"Didn't let you do what?" Sheldon Four was too emotionally drained to offer a witty retort, but he wanted to say, " _Didn't let you do what? Mend your shattered heart_." He looked up to Sheldon One with shiny eyes.

Sheldon Three asked number One, "What did your Amy not do?"

"She didn't let me break up with her. She told me it was Leonard manipulating me, and that was I was breaking up with her. I believed her!"

"She lies… that was all. She lied to you." Sheldon Four's bitter words were losing their bite.

"To help him! Don't you see?" Sheldon Two snapped at Sheldon Four, but he just looked away.

Sheldon Three looked at Sheldon Four with renewed disgust, "You called her a tramp! How could you? I should punch you again!" Sheldon Four just looked away.

Sheldon Six pointed to Sheldon One and said, "When you get back, you better kiss your Amy for not lettin' you be a callous idiot, or you'd be no better than this poor sap!" Sheldon Six's deep voice echoed through the room but once he looked at Sheldon Four's sullen face, he looked away from him not wanting to gaze on pure regret. He knew it too well himself.

Sheldon Five shot Sheldon Six a disapproving glare and sighed deeply before he spoke. Though he was trying to form his words carefully, the message was clear. Sheldon Four had let the best thing in his life walk away because of his own stupid pride.

"Number Four, have you thought about…" before he could finish, Sheldon One cut him off.

"Why did she stop eating dinner with you?"

"Really! That's what you want to know?" Sheldon Two was floored at this stupid question, but for Sheldon One the idea that he would never share a meal again with Amy if they broke up permanently, frankly horrified him.

He realized that if they didn't work things out, this could be his fate. Awkward dinners without her company at all, while the group danced around the fact they were no longer a couple.

Sheldon One hadn't yet had the time to process what breaking up with Amy Farrah Fowler would do to him, let alone his social circle. Sitting beside him, wearing a baggy yellow shirt and the pain of regret clearly showing on his face, was his possible future and he didn't like the view. The thought of losing Amy from his life completely stung more than Sheldon One could comprehend. He had dodged a bullet when he had tried to break up with her that night over the table. He couldn't navigate between the relief that he had avoided that fate, or the fear it was now likely to be his own.

Sheldon One cleared his throat and attempted to explain his question calmly, "Yes... I mean, they were friends before why would that change just because they were no longer romantically involved? They could revert to boy/friend girl/friend status, couldn't they?" Sheldon One looked over to Two sitting in the beige chair.

Sheldon Two rubbed his temples in an attempt to keep his temper, "NO! There is no way Amy would want to have dinner with **him**! First off, he is a self-absorbed pain in the A!"

"HEY!" Sheldon Four crossed his arms at the same time as Sheldon One who for some reason was equally offended and who snapped back defensively, "We have all been pains in the A at some point, but that has never stopped Amy from dining with us! Number Four and Amy should still be friends! They have to STAY FRIENDS!"

Sheldon Two ignored Sheldon One's emotional outburst, "Yes, but she is in love with him and to have to sit next to him on this very couch, even though he threw her away over a table…"

Sheldon Four stopped him abruptly "It wasn't the table! It was that she was changing me!"

Sheldon Five slapped his head and said with a snort, "Oh please! That table should have stood up on all four legs and announced you were deflecting!"

Sheldon Four ignored him, "Well… tables aside… Amy never said she was in love with me."

Sheldon Three rolled his eyes and jumped into the conversation, "Don't be a fool, of course she loves you! Why do you think she has put up with you for so long?"

Sheldon Four was enraged and snapped back, "Put up with me? Are you serious? I am the one who listens to her drone on and on about icky squishy things and her career even though biology is nothing compared to physics and you guys know it! I am the one who has to hold hands even though she knows I hate it. I am the one who finished that D & D love spell with her! I did that and she just wants more. I changed for that woman all the time, and did I get an ounce of credit? NO! Just her whining for more and more and more! She was never happy with status quo! She will never be happy with me!"

"Yes she would be happy with you, but you won't let her be. You can lie to Leonard and Penny, but we all know you Dr. Cooper! You listen to Amy drone on and on about her field because when she is excited about something, her eyes light up like copper flames." Sheldon Five added.

Sheldon Three smiled and said, "You hold hands with her because it makes you happy, even though you won't admit it. I bet when you introduced Amy to Professor Proton, you were beaming with pride."

Even Sheldon Two had to get in on the explanation, "Don't tell me you don't enjoy her hugs or those little side smiles she gives you when you say something brilliant or when she defends you to the group. She is your biggest fan, and you know it." Sheldon Two had just about enough of Sheldon's Fours denial of the truth.

Even Sheldon One , who was quiet for most of the rant, had to add, "Oh, and that D & D love spell? Make no mistake, those things you were saying you did with her half orc; that was from memory. The memory of a particular fantasy, 'Sheldor the Conqueror'. Don't forget I know it well."

Sheldon One knew that he had had what he considered were "inappropriate feelings" for Amy. He had been successfully suppressing them with Kolinhr and cold showers, but they were bubbling to the surface like lava seeping through the torn earth. When Sheldon One looked at Sheldon Four sitting next to him, he saw himself from 2 years ago. Sheldon One knew that he had grown out of that phase where he denied to himself that he had any carnal desires. In fact hadn't he said to Penny that his make out session on the couch was _foreplay_? The question was however, was he ready for the possibility of their relationship to get physical like he confessed to Penny so long ago?

"Fine! But now she can play D & D with Stuart and roll 20's while they slug down pumpkin lattes. I'm sure she'll love to have her raging sex drive satisfied!" Sheldon Four's cracked voice ached in his dry throat.

"With Stuart? I doubt it. Do you think she would go back to him? I mean it's Stuart!" There was no way Sheldon One could envision Amy with Stuart. Should he be so confident though? Sheldon Four's Amy had apparently rushed back to his waiting arms.

Sheldon Two groaned, "He was all over her when she came to the costume contest dressed as Wonder Woman."

Sheldon Three whispered to Sheldon Two, "Wonder Woman?"

"Oh yeah…" Sheldon Two smirked and sitting forward in the beige chair raised his brows a few times. "With and without the cape."

"Oh boy…" Sheldon Three almost swallowed his own throat.

"That's nothing you should see her in Star Fleet Blue." Sheldon One licked his lips as he remembered Amy scanning him with that beguiling sound of a tricorder. The Vixen had pulled out all the stops. He could kick himself that he hadn't kissed her then. She could have bent down and given him one little kiss. He might have even been able to return the kiss as he had last night on the couch. He could have put his hand on her thigh as she bent down and as she was wearing the Uniform, he would be touching her stocking leg, he could have moved his hand… Sheldon One shook himself out of his reverie. Just the thought of it made him shiver.

He looked around the room, and most of the Sheldon's had the same starry look remembering their Amy's. Never in all his days would he ever think he would be commenting on Amy's figure with a group of guys like some good ol' boy. It didn't feel as strange as he thought it should. He rubbed his finger and thumb together as he remembered again the feeling of his hand on her thigh the night before. It was addictive, and he hoped he would be able to feel it again soon. These other Sheldon's knew the secret that he had yet to discover, though he did have a suspicion. That Amy Farrah Fowler was one sexy woman.

"Star Fleet uniform. Original series? WITH THE BOOTS? And her short skirt showing… um… her assets…" Sheldon Three nearly swallowed his panting tongue.

Sheldon Five sat down on the arm of the beige chair snickered, "Yes, her "assets" are quite… alluring and let's leave it at that, shall we?"

Sheldon Three blurted out, "You mean she has an incredible ass. That's for sure."

Sheldon Five snapped back, "Hey! That's my wife you are all thinking about, thank you very much. And she doesn't like people ogling her bedonkadonk."

"Hey pal, that's my wife too, and she knows I love her enticing posterior." Sheldon Two had a dreamy look but Sheldon Four broke his spell… again.

"Well, now Stuart can find out how appealing her bedonk… thing… is." Sheldon Four crossed his arms defiantly.

"Look, Stuart may be sniffing around, but if you want her back, just go fight for her!" Sheldon Two announced confidently.

Sheldon Three thought this was a wonderful idea, "YES! Fight for her! No matter what, you belong with Amy! No failed comic book store guy should be with your woman no matter how many issue number ones he has!" Sheldon Three smiled at Four. It was the first time the two exchanged grins, but it was short lived.

"You think…." Sheldon Four's bravado quickly faded. "If she is happy…I can't ruin that."

"Happy?" Sheldon One couldn't fathom it. He also couldn't understand why someone would give up his own happiness. " _What about you_?" He wanted to ask.

Sheldon One looked confused, until Sheldon Four said, "Yes… I owe her that." Sheldon One sat back and absorbed the words.

Sheldon Six smiled and crossed his arms. Perhaps there was hope for this Sheldon after all, he thought.

Sheldon One was near screeching at him, "HOW CAN SHE BE HAPPY? With Stuart? These guys are right! You need to fight him! Like Amy said about Priya… Remember… " _What do you think Ricky would do if an interloper encroached on his territory?_ " Sheldon One smirked, knowing this Sheldon would get the joke.

Sheldon Four smiled from the memory. "Fight dirty… dirty dirty dirty."

Sheldon Six let out a snort, "Oh lordy, I like this woman! Spunky! You gotta get her back, and quick too!" Sheldon Six added in a murmur, "After you learn not to be an asshole."

"I don't know…" Sheldon Four folded his hands on his lap and sunk down.

Sheldon Two waved off his misgivings. "Oh pish posh, Number Four! I had to fight for her, well, sort of. We were at the comic book store for the New Year's costume contest…"

Sheldon Four blurted out, "Oh, how in the heck did you talk her into going to that!?"

"Begging… Any way… Stuart was scoping out Amy like the last popcycle at a Fourth of July picnic. I distracted him with a bit of brilliance, while I snuck off with Amy. Poor sap didn't have a chance against me. I fixed that. Stuart went home alone that night!" Sheldon Two was so pleased that he had shooed off Stuart. He hated to think what turmoil poor Sheldon Four was going through and Sheldon One was looking pale just thinking of it.

"Who the hell is Stuart?" Sheldon Six had to know who this man was that had the group's dander up. He hadn't reacted to the other names mentioned, but for some reason Stuart got his attention.

"In our universe, Stuart is the owner of a comic book store. He is also the man who asked Amy out on a date." Sheldon One remembered that night with mixed feelings. He had been happy to have Amy as his own, but it had been the start of his journey toward complete submission to that vixen's charms. Just like Gulliver, every little hint of affection was another rope tying him down, yet he was beginning to like the feel of the bindings.

"Well, he tried to do the same in my world, but you say that they actually went out in your universe? I don't think I could have handled that. No sirree." Sheldon Two had been quite jealous when Stuart chummied up to Amy on New Year's Eve. He had been one in a long line of would-be suitors that Sheldon Two had had the good sense to scare off. Once he had got a clue on his feelings for Amy that was.

Sheldon One wasn't too pleased to be reminded of Stuart and Amy that night either, "Well, I interrupted their date to ask her to be my girlfriend, so he didn't have her for very long."

"Hold up. You did that too?" Sheldon Four was only now beginning to realize just how close his life was to Sheldon One.

"Of course. The thought of her in a darkened theater with Stuart was…"

Sheldon Four finished Number One's thought, "Repellant. However, I also stipulated that nothing changes, physical or otherwise. She didn't listen to that part. Holding my hand! The nerve of that woman." Sheldon Four shot Sheldon Three a quick look which was returned with a glare and a growl.

Sheldon One had to ask, "Did you hold her hand at Howard's launch or was it she who started to manhandle you?"

Sheldon Four swallowed and then admitted, "Well, yes, I did reach out and held her hand, but that was for comfort at a stressful time, not for every time we went to the movies!"

Sheldon Two leered at Sheldon Four, "Oh really? Let me get this straight. You said no physical contact, and then it was **you** who held her hand? Did she ever hug you?"

"Yes.."

"Did you ask for it?"

"She offered… and I accepted. I didn't ask…" Sheldon Four shifted in his seat thinking back to when she comforted him over Kripke having a better proposal that he did. The hug felt constricting, but he really needed it. He could use one now, as a matter of fact.

"I see…" Sheldon Two snickered.

Sheldon Four suddenly remembered something, "She groped me and kissed me when I gave her that tiara! SO there!"

Sheldon Five smirked and winked at Sheldon Two. He knew what the line of questioning was leading to, even if Sheldons One and Four didn't. "Was it **then** you who added kissing to this relationship agreement you told us about? Your love contract?"

"No! We never added kissing." Sheldon Four thought he had won, but having heard the comments of the other Sheldon's, it didn't feel like it. "It's not a love contract! It's a guideline for our relationship, so there!"

Sheldon One raised his hand, "We added it after I kissed her on the train. I don't know why I did that, kiss her that is. I mean, I was so angry that she had tried to trick me into romance. I was just thinking of all the things that were romantic. I thought she might want to kiss, cause girls like that."

"Oh sure, I don't think only girls like kissing..." Sheldon Two rolled his eyes.

Sheldon One ignored him, "Well, I thought it was just romantic mumbo jumbo. We didn't need romance, we never did, but the kiss was just so…"

"Perfect?" Sheldon Three added.

Sheldon One let out a chuckle, "Yeah… Not messy, not weird. I admit that it was done out of anger, but then it was as if I couldn't get enough of it. I leaned in further and she never had a chance to even touch me before I grabbed her hips and pulled her in. I was shocked that I did it. Afterwards, I suggested kissing to be included. I did that. I said I wanted to cover my bases, and I made it retroactive. I didn't want to be in trouble."

"In trouble, for kissing?" Sheldon Three looked horrified.

Sheldon Two scoffed at the question. He understood completely. He had had the same trouble with wanting to kiss Amy, "I get it! It's not allowed under the context of the relationship agreement. I have one of those as well. It changed when we got married. Anyway, back then, Amy changed that section in ours so that we could kiss whenever we wanted so long as we were alone. Not in public, she says it's tacky. Smart girl."

Sheldon One thought about that, "That's a good idea… I need to add… that…." He grew quiet and again sucked in his lower lip as he wondered if the Relationship Agreement was even valid anymore. But if they do get back to some sense of normalcy, the idea had some merit and given their recent make out session, he should consider suggesting the same amendment.

"She could have asked that kissing be added when she kissed me for the tiara… But she didn't. She even apologized, she was just so happy, it overwhelmed her. She never asked for kissing to be added. In fact, when I think about it, every change to physical section was because of something I did. ME! Huh…" He slumped back on the couch, coming to terms with the idea that all the changes had been initiated by him, and took in his epiphany like medicine.

Sheldon Four was not ready for his dose. His emotions were so raw he vacillated between anger and sadness, not knowing that two were connected. He snapped back.

"So what? You changed it, she changed it. Who cares? When she left you last night, she took all those kisses you're so fond of away! The rest of you should have a heads up! She is gonna break your hearts just like this poor dolt!"

Sheldon One jutted out his jaw, "She didn't leave me! She just needs some time, she said. She just needed to take a step back… and re-evaluate…." Sheldon One started to sniffle, "Oh who am I kidding, she left me! Now I will no better than this guy who needs to eat a sandwich!" He couldn't hide from it anymore. Sheldon One hung his head as sobs shook his body.

Sheldon Two snarled at Sheldon Four, "You are a real Debby downer, you know that!?" Sheldon Two stood up from the armchair and came over to Sheldon One but he didn't know what to do. He had never seen himself cry before, and he was glad of it. "God don't listen to him! He must have had the joy sucked out of him at an early age!"

Sheldon Five rose off the arm of the beige chair and grabbed the rubix cube Kleenex box. Sheldon One blew his nose and eked out, "Thank you…" Before he stifled his tears and continued.

"No… He's right." Sheldon One looked up, wiped away his tears and spluttered. "I just need to face facts. This was never going to work."

"Cause you're a god damn idiot, that's why." Sheldon Six stretched his long legs out in front of him, and bent his large arms behind his head showing off his deltoid muscles. "She was right to leave you, the way you treated her. Maybe I should head over to your time line, seeing as she is available now…"

"Don't you dare…"

"From what ya'all say, she quite a catch…I do like a spunky girl, ya know!"

"Leave her alone!" Sheldon One was sniveling through his tears, but his voice grew deeper.

Sheldon Six didn't let up, "Oh good lord, I loved to see that appealing posterior ya'all been drooling over…" Sheldon Six licked his lips to add to the effect. It was working; Sheldon One was red as lava and just as hot.

Sheldon One rose off the couch, "Listen up. I don't care how big you are, you stay away from my Amy, ya hear! She's mine!"

Sheldon Six smiled a sly grin, "I knew you wouldn't give up so easily. Being one of us, and all, we'd never give up a fight. Now, tell us again, how this ain't never gonna work with the love of your life?"

Sheldon One glared at Sheldon Six and sat back down. He hated being tricked, especially by his own doppelganger. "Well, it WILL work, when she comes to her senses!"

Sheldon Six threw his head back, "Oh Christ, never mind!"

Sheldon Two coughed deliberately to get the attention of the group, "Look. We have all had a time where we felt so overwhelmed by the relationship that we wanted to run away, right?"

All the Sheldon's nodded, except Sheldon Three who raised his hand, but Sheldon Two snapped at him, "Not you! But, I bet you've had a time you wanted to run from **something**? Right? I bet Number One's Amy just needs some time."

"Maybe… Like my train trip. Oh dear lord, do you think she would go away from me and be gone for 45 days like I was?" Sheldon One swallowed and just realized what that would be like. He would not know what she was thinking, or how she felt about him for weeks. She could leave on a trip just like he did, and he would be left at home to wonder and wait. It was the first time in a year that he had realized what the actions of the trip had done to Amy. He finally had the empathy he lacked and he didn't like the feeling. "Could she need **that** much time?" Sheldon One looked down at his clasped hands and let out a sigh.

Sheldon Six bellowed again from the desk, "That's the last god damn thing she wants. Five years? She wants to be married, maybe have some genius kids, and sorry to tell you this, but that means you're gonna have to do more than kiss her."

Sheldon One shifted uncomfortable in his seat at the end of couch. He hated being told what to do and even worse the suggestion that he didn't know something, "I know how humans make offspring! I'm not a moron!"

Sheldon Six didn't miss a beat, "Well I'm glad you know how, but you are still a moron, cause she aint no spring chicken. Isn't she our age?"

Sheldon Five piped in, "A year younger. I really don't understand this internal conflict you seem to have concerning coitus, Number One. You too, number Four. I mean, Amy and I were together at an early age, sure, but I didn't want to have to have sex with anyone before I met her. I never considered it about it and neither did she. She and I kinda fell into it, so to speak. However, it was like I said, I never thought about it. You guys seem to be obsessed with it! Especially those of you who have never had sex. "

Sheldon Three interrupted, "Yeah… What's with you, two? Do you have sexual dysfunction? Amy can fix that, ya know. Not with sex, I mean with her brain mumbo jumbo and a needle… "

Sheldon Five rolled his eyes, "Back to the point, did you always think about it so obsessively?"

Sheldon One processed what Sheldon Five had said and cocked his head. He had never thought about sex when he was younger. It hadn't been important. He had hardly noticed puberty, other than the appearance of hair on his pubis and the lowering of his voice. Girls were never on the radar; at least not until that Vixen stole a _fascinating_ kiss that night on her couch.

"No, you're right, I never did think about it. EVER. Leonard is the one who was so obsessed about it. When I first became friends with those guys, they were floored that I had never had sex before. They teased me about it as soon as they found out. It was their favorite topic. It still is actually. I get a jab almost…" Sheldon One thought for a moment and calculated every time the guys teased him, "Every 2.3 days! From all of them. Even after I saved them from that Rocket fuel accident that destroyed the elevator."

Sheldon Six rolled his eyes and looked to Sheldon Two, "Do I even want to know?"

"No, you really don't." Sheldon Two rolled his eyes.

Sheldon Three thought about number Five's question, "They teased the heck outta me too. They've finally shut up now though."

"I bet they did." Sheldon Four gave a fake smile to Sheldon Three, who cracked his knuckles. Sheldon Four shut up as well and looked back at his hands.

"It's them! They just harp on about it all the time. They are the ones that are obsessed with it. Not me." Sheldon One finally realized that all this pressure was making him feel, albeit unknowingly, that he was less than a man because he didn't have sex. Amy had said that she was always hoping, but other than the night in the parking lot with a bottle of hooch, she had never directly asked to have sex. Sheldon One wondered if maybe Amy was receiving the same level of unsupportive scrutiny from the girls that Sheldon was getting from the guys. No wonder she couldn't keep it in her space pants.

Sheldon One wondered would he have been more inclined to be with Amy in that carnal way if he hadn't felt the pressure from the group. He would never know, but Sheldon Five seemed to have handled the issue relatively unscathed, and he had been with Amy since he was 21.

Sheldon Five scratched his head, "Well, those guys never teased me, but I met them long after I was married. So there was no question." He let out a short snort, "In fact, I had to give Leonard advice on sex."

"WHAT?!" All the other Sheldons thought this was the strangest thing they ever heard. None of them could imagine a version of themselves as a Sexpert.

"Yeah! He used to do this thing where he would put…" Sheldon Five looked around the room at his slack jawed compatriots and thought some things were better left unsaid. "Anyhow, let's just say he needed to do more foreplay, and leave it at that."

"Like how much foreplay? Do you have any numbers? A chart?" Sheldon Three got out his phone to record whatever wisdom he could.

"No charts, just instinct. Though from what I have heard, you are doing just fine." Sheldon Five moved over to the white board, which had shifted slightly. He straightened it out as he said, "The group mostly pokes fun at my tendency to want things in order."

Sheldon One said with a brush of his hand, "Oh, they tease me about that too. I'm sorry, but talking through the bathroom door is rude, and labeling everything just makes sense! I ask you, what is so wrong about standing three feet from the mirror to floss! Its common courtesy!"

"HERE HERE!" Finally there was something that the WHOLE group could agree upon.

However, before the comradery could be enjoyed for too long, Sheldon Four had to put a damper on the party.

"I still think that beguiling woman tricked you into kissing her and with all this intimacy. Never forget she tried to use her brain magic to get you to increase your feelings for her! Star Fleet Blue indeed! That Vixen! We've been under her spell for years. At least I was smart enough to get out."

Sheldon One bellowed to the end of couch where Sheldon Four sat in the coveted spot, "GET OVER YOURSELF! You didn't get out! She let you go! BIG DIFFERENCE! You didn't get to go prom with her, or dance with her. By the way, the date night kiss after Prom… that was amazing."

Sheldon Four snarled at number One, "I don't need your amazing kissing! Its…"

Sheldon One didn't let him finish, "You didn't get Meamaw's cookies made for you! She wasn't there for you when Professor Proton died, nor did she make you a Star Wars Cake! Yeah, guess what? Amy made that cake, not Bernadette."

"I don't believe you." Sheldon Four looked away not wanting to hear his lost fate, but Sheldon One wasn't done.

"She didn't wait for you while you went off on that ill-conceived train trip. She did not come with Leonard to pick you up as she did with me. You had no support when you changed fields, no turtles, no sleep overs, no forts, no Mars babies! NOTHING!"

"SO WHAT? I don't need that, but you do!" Sheldon Four sneered at Sheldon One, and said like a snake, "She changed the very essence of what it means to be Sheldon Cooper! You can't even call yourself that name!"

Sheldon Five was just about ready to hit Sheldon Four just like Sheldon Three had done, and Sheldon One was not far behind him.

"Oh really? Not the real Sheldon Cooper because he dated her for 5 years? Well, look at me! Go on! Look! I look just like him, act like him and this one and that one over there." Sheldon Five, pointed at Sheldons Two and Three, he looked at Sheldon Six who gave him a friendly nod which told him to keep going.

"We have the same shirts, I wore that one yesterday! I love Star Wars, I spend time with my friends, and guess what? I have not only known Amy for 15 years, I've been married to her for that long too. You got a hella of nerve telling ANYONE here, we aren't the real Sheldon Cooper! In fact, I'd go so far to say, I am better because of her! An improved Sheldon Cooper!"

Sheldon Two shook his head over the arrogance of Sheldon Five, and finally spoke up, "Okay, I'm all for slamming Bitter Sheldon over here…"

"HEY, NO NICK NAMES!"

"Calling you bitter is a kindness…" Sheldon Two snapped and then turned back to Sheldon Five, "But really… please! What makes you so special, number Five?"

Sheldon Five sat down in the beige chair and shrugged his shoulders. With a smug smile he stated boldly, "Well, I'm a tenured professor at Caltech, the head of the Physics department, I have two children who have higher IQ's than I do, oh yeah, and I have a Nobel Prize AND a Lego Death Star!"

"You got it? When?" Sheldon One almost licked his lips as he looked back at the coveted prize.

"Two years ago. Ten years too late, if you ask me." He looked around and then had to clarify, "The Nobel, not the Lego Death Star…"

"Ten years late, you said it, brother." Sheldon Two nodded his head.

Sheldon Five smiled for a moment, but he turned his irritation back to Sheldon Four, "More importantly, I have a wife who supports me no matter what. She was with me when I lost the Nobel the first year to that damn team from Japan, and cheered when I got it the next year. She was with me when my childhood hero died, when Meemaw got sick and we were there for each other when we almost lost our son. Most importantly, she is okay that I'm not perfect." Sheldon Five licked his lips and looked around the room of sullen faces. He wanted to say he was better than this lot, but he could tell that that would not be well received.

Sheldon Five leaned toward Sheldon Four and pointed at his face with the end of the dry erase marker like a sword, "Marrying her was the best decision I ever made. Better than switching my field this year, better than going to Caltech instead of MIT, better than RFID tagging all my clothes before any trip!"

"Here here!" Sheldon Three shouted out, hoping the crowd would join him, "Sorry I thought we were doing that… go ahead…"

"Even clueless Sheldon One over here is going to ask her to marry him!"

Sheldon One smiled, "Yes, it's true. I mean, the proposing thing, not the clueless thing…"

"You keep thinking that, pal." Sheldon Six snorted.

Sheldon One snapped and continued his story, "ANYWAY! I have the ring, I just needed to find the right time, ya know? I've had it for months. You can't go to Mars and have Martian babies and not be married, that is just crazy talk. Also easier for interplanetary passports and the like."

Sheldon Six had to speak up, "No, what's crazy is thinking the **only** reason to marry her is because you want to go another planet. Aren't there any other reasons you can think of?"

Sheldon One tilted his head in confusion, "Not at the moment." He hated being put on the spot, and that was the only answer he could give without a thorough examination of his feelings. Sheldon One needed far more time for that but Sheldon Six had none of the patience for it.

"I give up!" Sheldon Six slumped back in his desk chair and shook his head.

Sheldon Two let out a snort and then said, "Asking her to marry me was not my finest moment, let me tell you. I'm lucky I'm married at all."

"What happened?"

Sheldon Five motioned to Sheldon Four who got out of the spot and returned to his perch on the arm of the couch near the door, "Okay Number Two, tell us your tale. Maybe you can give Clueless Sheldon some good advice for when he pops the question."

All the Sheldon's yelled out, "NO NICK NAMES!"

"FINE! Number Two, what's your tale?"

Sheldon Two settled into "THE Spot" with a warm glow. "Well, it started after that Chancellor's dinner…"

* * *

Thank you guys, I hope this helps your hearts. Next up, how Sheldon from my Vixen story can be even more clueless than Sheldon One!


	7. Chapter 7: Two times the Proposal

**Sheldon Two's story**

 **Two Times the Proposal**

* * *

 **If you have not read my Big Reversal: The Vixen in 4B, this chapter might be a little difficult. So a quick recap: In that story, Amy moved in across the hall instead of Penny in 2007. The couple danced around their feelings for each for 20 or so chapters. Finally, they were able to admit their feelings and had a spent the night together at a Science conference. No Coitus, however. This picks up right where it left off.**

 **Sheldon Two's back story...**

* * *

 **Here is the recap again:**

 **Sheldon One: He is the Sheldon from the Show. This story takes place minutes after the Skype call ended from the Finale.**

 **Sheldon Two: He is from my Big Reversal Theory: The Vixen in 4B story. You will find out how he did with Amy and how their lives are now, 6 years later in this chapter.**

 **Sheldon Three: Let's just call him happy. He is the Sheldon who had a one night stand with Amy after meeting her in the theater.**

 **Sheldon Four: He broke up with Amy over the Table incident in Season 7 and hasn't been with her since.**

 **Sheldon Five: This is the Sheldon from my Caustic Cohabitation Conundrum. He is the one who met Amy when he was 21 at Harvard. This is 15 years later and a lot of changes have happened.**

 **Sheldon Six: Non-believer. His story will unfold later, but he is unlike them all.**

* * *

It was the night of the Chancellor's awards dinner and Sheldon was as nervous as a new bride. Not because he wasn't deserving of the over due award to honor his genius, but because the public speaking terrified him, even to a group of blow hard lesser minds. At least he had his little lump of wool by his side to keep him steady. They had inseparable since their return from the science conference.

His mind flashed back over the week since he and Amy had returned from San FranciscoInitially he had intended to refuse due to his fear of speaking in public, but during the week that followed, Amy had talked him through his speech and tried to help him overcome his fears so that now he thought that he might be able to get through his whole speech without too much embarrassment or get trampled by the unruly crowd ready to rush the stage to lift Sheldon on their shoulders to praise him. Amy assured him, this would **never** happen and he calmed.

However the night before, he had lain awake worrying about it. He had thought that after such an exhausting week, that for one night he might be able to sleep without his secret antidote (Amy's warm body), but it was not to be. As with every other night since they had returned, Sheldon had quietly made his way across the hallway to Amy's bed.

One night Leonard caught him, and Sheldon gave some excuse that he was going to the gas station for some late night snack. It seemed Leonard believed him, and Sheldon was able to continue his trek to his vixen's arms. The only problem was, he never asked her for fear she would say no. His clandestine sleepovers were his dirty little secret for a week unbeknownst to her.

On the first night they had returned home from the conference he had realized that he had missed her cherry scented hair, warm embrace and soft breasts nuzzled into his chest.

So he had tip-toed quietly across the hall having long since sprayed WD40 on her hinges thus making sneaking into her apartment child's play. As soon as he opened her bedroom door and gazed at her curled up in bed, he had instantly felt better. Amy was sleeping soundly on the left side of the bed. It was as if she had known he would eventually come and had made room for him.

In fact, he had felt that empty side of the bed was a virtual invitation. Creeping onto the bed, he had crawled under the quilted covers being careful not to wake her. Amy groaned and turned over just as Sheldon laid his head on the empty pillow. She had not woken, but instead had nuzzled onto his chest and fell back asleep with a smile. Sheldon was out like a light in 30 seconds.

This covert action had happened every night since and he had left each morning without disturbing Amy.

The night before the speech, he needed her more than ever. After he woke, he disappeared from her side and returned to his apartment ready to face the day and the crowd.

Sheldon looked smashing in his suit, and Amy all but swooned seeing him dressed so handsomely. They went over the speech on the drive over and Sheldon assured her that he took out the joke about the Chancellor needed a brain scan since he obviously has a blind spot to genius if some loser from Botany won last year.

Sheldon and Amy found a seat at the round table with their friends. They all ate the rubbery chicken dinner and joked around while Sheldon fiddled with his napkins and eyed the exit the door. Only Amy's warm smile and comforting hand on his made him keep to his seat.

Now, it was show time.

Leonard went to the podium to introduce Sheldon, but Leonard's short introductory speech became longer as he gave a heartfelt speech lamenting his mother's lack of nurturing skills.

Sheldon was now sweating bullets. "Oh Amy, I can't do this. No way."

Sheldon started to see white spots and Penny thinking she had the solution handed him a full glass of white wine., "Drink this one, Sheldon, it will help."

Amy snapped at Penny, "I don't think that is good idea Penny, alcohol is not always the answer." She pulled the glass away, and put it back in front of Penny with a glare. She leaned over and whispered to Penny, "Not for Sheldon, ya know?"

Amy looked back at Sheldon who was almost hyperventilating. "Sheldon, you have your speech memorized. Just focus on me, and deliver it like we practiced, you'll be fine. Don't worry, just try and be calm."

Sheldon was anything but calm. He felt the room starting to spin and his stomach did more flips than an Olympic gymnast. He was one minute away from face diving into his rubbery chicken dinner.

Amy grabbed his hands, and held onto them as she asked him, "What is the Dirac equation?"

Sheldon repeated it, and started to draw it out on the back of her hand. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

Amy smiled, "Now, what is the average temperature for Perth Australia for the month of April?"

"Umm… 19 Celsius." Sheldon started to calm down.

"Why do you deserve this award?" Amy ran her thumb over his hands softly.

Sheldon puffed his chest out, "Because…."

Amy cut him off, "No.. Don't tell me yet. One more question, why did the chicken cross the Mobius Strip… Don't tell me now."

"But Amy…You know I hate to leave things undone."

"Tell me when you get to the podium. Now go." Amy gave him a short kiss on the cheek and released him as soon as his name was announced.

Sheldon shuffled to the stage, shielding his eyes from the harsh lighting. Though he could only see the first 3 rows of people, he knew it was a huge crowd. Once behind the podium, he closed his eyes for one moment, and took a deep breath.

When he opened his eyes, the room was empty and he could only see Amy. "Good evening." Sheldon took a deep swallow, almost gulping his tongue, but then he saw Amy smiling at him. She put her hands under her chin, as if she was hanging onto his every word.

Sheldon bit his lip and said quickly, "I have to get this out…Why did the chicken cross the Mobius strip? To get to the same side... Bazinga!" He winked at Amy, who couldn't help but blush. The crowd let out a generous giggle.

Sheldon froze for a moment on hearing the laughter. He seemed to be stuck, so Amy mouthed the words, "Humbled… Thank you.. Honored."

Sheldon blinked a few times but again refocused on her mouth as he said robotically, "Thank you all distinguished colleagues oh…and the Geology Department too. I am _humbled_ by your _honor_ and graciously accept your award since you are finally recognizing my genius. I think I understand why it took ya'all so long. It takes a while to focus on a good thing, even when that good thing practically lives across the hall..."

Sheldon's voice became lower and his gaze intensified as he looked at Amy. He now spoke only to her, "You know, sometimes I get unfocused or lost in my own thoughts. But then someone pulls me out of my haze. I have someone who does that for me. She is a beacon for me, guiding me through the miasma of life. I don't know how I would be without her, but I am not willing to find out. "

He smiled at Amy's blushing face and then remembered what he was supposed to be doing, "It shows great intelligence on your part, Chancellor Morton, that you would finally recognize the brilliance that has been sitting under your nose for years. So here's to you! You finally woke up!" Sheldon smiled and raised his award, but Amy shook her head and rubbed her temples. She had hoped he had edited that last part out, but then his speech had been nothing like the one they had practiced. She was just thrilled he got through it relatively unscathed although Chancellor Morton looked a little miffed and whispered something to President Siebert.

Sheldon got off the stage as quickly as he could, almost running to the table to sit down while sporting a cheery smile, as all his friends rose to congratulate him. He leaned over to Amy, and gave her a short kiss on the cheek, as they had always done to say thank you. Amy held her face, unused to affection from Sheldon in public. Even the table hushed as he pulled away and said with deep admiration, "Thank you so much for helping me Amy."

Blushing like a bowl of cherries, Amy said, "Of course, Sheldon."

He gave Amy a relieved smile, and said, "Well… good practice for my first Nobel."

"I'll be there when you get it. Second Nobel... I might be busy..." She winked at him. She could see his face relax Amy beamed at him. Finally, the anxiety filled week was over, she thought.

* * *

Later that night, Sheldon thought he could sleep solo, given that the stress of the speech was over he felt that he should be able to return to his normal routine.

However after tossing and turning for hours, he realized his normal routine was now sleeping next to Amy. He couldn't fight it any more than he could stop washing his hands twice before he ate or using 4 napkins for lunch. Although, he was thinking of adding a fifth napkin for emergencies, but that didn't help his dilemma tonight.

Sheldon snuck across the hall and crept into Amy's bed once again. He was just about to close his eyes, when Amy stirred, and blinked her eyes open.

With a kittenish grin she said with a meow, "You're late tonight, cuddles."

It was almost 4:30 in the morning, far later than he normally came. He now knew he had a major problem on his hands: How to get out of trouble.

"Oh… Amy… I just.. um.. noticed that you were… I mean.. I came over here to get my… I left my… OH fiddle sticks!" Sheldon lay on his back and stared at the ceiling knowing full well that the jig was up.

Amy rolled on her side to face him, leaning on her elbow, her head on her hand. "You seemed to have left your excuses across the hall, cuddles." Her apparent mocking only caused Sheldon to grouse.

"Oh Sheldon, stop pouting. I've known you were there the whole week. Well, not the first night, but after that, and if I had had a problem with it, I would have told you. I am just teasing you…" Amy looked at him leaned over and placed a small kiss on his chin.

Sheldon smiled up at her, "You clever little minx, how long were you going to let keep doing this before you mentioned something?"

"I just wanted to see how long you would try to keep it a secret but I have loved sleeping with you." Sheldon turned and pulled Amy closer to him. Holding her body flush with his Amy could feel his arousal. Placing her head on his chest she hid her face saying, "Things are moving so fast between us. I am surprised you are so comfortable with it. Truth is, Sheldon… I am a little terrified."

"Of me?" Sheldon pulled away but Amy reached out her hand for him.

"No, I trust you, that's why I am talking to you about this. I am afraid of going too far, too soon. I am just not ready for that yet. I mean, we've only been a romantic couple for a little more than a week. I expected it would be years before it got this far!"

Sheldon chaffed at the very idea, "Years?! There is not an alternate universe I can fathom that I would wait years to be intimate with you, Amy! That's crazy!"

Amy narrowed her eyes, "A week alone is what is crazy, Sheldon."

Sheldon let out a sigh, "I know. This is pretty new. I just… I don't know why, but I am very comfortable with you. I think with all the sneaking in and sleeping it has made it easier. I didn't have to worry about fulfilling any expectations."

Amy jumped up, "EXACTLY! I don't want to be pressed to fill any expectations! I want things to go naturally, but at a slower pace. Do you understand?"

"I do Amy. I love you, so much that it almost consumes me but I will go at your pace." Then he looked up at her with his large blue eyes that told her everything was okay. "It will our pace, okay?"

"Okay!" Amy was pleased that Sheldon understood her trepidation.

Sheldon wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back down to lay with him on the bed.

He put a small kiss on the top of her head and held her close, "But this sleeping thing is going to kill me, Amy. Can we work something out?"

"Hmm.." Amy turned over so she was flush with his body again, and placed her hands under her chin, "Perhaps we can have scheduled sleep overs?"

Sheldon furled his brow, "Isn't that too juvenile?"

Amy shook her head and with an eye roll said flatly, "Says the man who wears Spiderman underwear." She reach down and snapped his band.

"Fair point, but not underwear, they are underroos. It's underwear that fun to wear."

Amy just smiled, "Proposal: Sleep overs alternate weeks at each other's apartment. Frequency: once a week?"

Sheldon thought about it for all of 3 seconds before he flipped Amy over, and started to undo the top buttons of her nightdress kissing her neck, "Alternate weeks? Amy! I can't wait weeks! I need to sleep! You don't know how it haunts me! Every night I toss and turn…" Sheldon nibbled down her exposed pale neck across her clavicle. "Unable to get a wink of rest…" His hand moved to her breast feeling her nipple harden beneath the soft cloth that covered her.

Sheldon growled, "It's all I can think about." He leaned in and continued to kiss, nibble and taste her, while Amy was practically bucking under his control. "The _sleeping_ thing I mean…"

"Of course, I knew what you meant." Amy winked at him.

"It's torture! And you want me to wait a week? Do you hear yourself woman?"

"Okay…. You win… twice a week. "

Sheldon needed to hatch a plan to get her to agree to more sleep overs because he couldn't fathom sleeping without her. Though he definitely wanted to explore the treasure that was Amy further, it was her warm body next to him that he craved. He needed her cherry scent almost as aroma therapy to complete the day.

No, he thought... twice a week would never do. Sheldon had the knowledge to change unwanted behaviors to make his life easier. He knew that sexual intercourse was a superior way to modify behavior, it was too bad, that Amy had taken coitus off the table in their relationship. However, Sheldon was an excellent negotiator.

"Amy…" He kissed her neck, nibbling on the one spot that almost got her leg to shake. "Amy.. I think we should discuss this coitus off the table notion you have."

"Mmm… I think we can come to some… oh god… type of… arrangement… Oh you're doing that with your hands again.. Oh my." Amy was near panting as his nimble hands massaged her breasts as he gobbled her neck. But she had to stop him, or she would be agreeing to anything, including having sex in Star Wars costumes by the end of the week.

Amy pushed back, and smiled. "Okay, let's talk about it." She got up and donned her robe as an extra precaution.

As Sheldon followed her like a lost puppy he pointed at the bedroom, annoyed, "We could have discussed it back in bed, Amy!"

Amy started to fix breakfast, "I want to negotiate our sleep overs without your thin beckoning lips attached to my Cervical Plexus."

Sheldon leaned forward on the counter with his jaw in one hand and his other making slow circles on the counter. With husky low tone said seductively, "Play your cards right and we'll see how far I can get down your supraclavicular nerves." Sheldon raised his brows again as his eyes moved up and down her body with an evil grin.

"Sheldon! You sit at the table! Keep your wandering eyes and mind to the task at hand: Our intimacy agreement." Amy placed the fruit salad she had prepared in front of him.

Sheldon became focused knowing this was important. "Okay… Let's do this…"

Sheldon's agreement called for sleepovers 7 nights a week. 3 nights PG-13 rated, 4 nights R rated to be raised to NC-17 when both parties were ready for coitus. Sheldon leaned forward and offered Amy a bite of his strawberry.

She shot him a funny look, took the piece of fruit, and then countered with sleepovers 3 nights a week. 2 nights PG 13 one night R, with NC 17 possible in 3 months with both parties agreeing to birth control method.

Sheldon was pleased she was such a good planner for birth control, but three months seemed like an eternity. The worse part was only 3 nights. No way could he agree to that.

"Okay… I will leave birth control under your discretion. I mean, most methods effect your body, not mine, thank goodness, unless you just want to use condoms, and that seems… so…. I don't know.."

Amy scrunched up her face. The idea of condoms was not appealing to her for some reason, "Like horny college students or water balloon fights. Besides they break, fall off… Yuck."

"Yes. I think yuck is the clinical term. However, the other mess… will be yucky as well." Sheldon blushed as red as the strawberry he was holding.

Amy sat back in her chair, and tapped her chin, "True, we will have to see how things go concerning that. Once we have coitus, I think showers will be required if we do not use condoms. I will get on the pill. Or get shots. It will affect my menstruation cycle."

"Oh dear lord, I forgot about that!" Sheldon dropped his strawberry and his fork.

"Well, No intimacy during…" Amy cut off by Sheldon yelling out in fear.

"We still can sleep together, right? I don't want to be out of my sleep partner just because she is hopped up on girly juice!"

Amy rolled her eyes, "Of Course, Sheldon! Besides, Birth control needs time to be effective. Also, three months is good waiting period for us, agreed?" Sheldon thought this was acceptable and gave him time to do much needed research if he was going to be a sex god.

"Agreed. However, 3 nights only for sleep overs? Unacceptable." Sheldon crossed his arms.

"4 nights. 2 PG 13, 2 R Rated."

"7 nights. 4 PG-13 Sunday-Thursday. 3 nights R Rated." He leaned forward to feed her a blueberry off his plate.

Amy licked it off his fingers, and then smiled. "While I agree that weekends are a preferred time for more intense physical relations, I do not want to be constrained by days of the week. 6 nights. 3 PG 13… 3 R rated."

Amy purposely dropped her napkin off the table, bent down to get it slowly making sure her posterior was within Sheldon's view point. If Sheldon wanted to play the positive reinforcement game, Amy could use her own negotiation methods.

"What..ever… You want.. Amy… Blueberry?" Sheldon smiled.

Amy stood up, and bent leaned over to pluck the blueberry off Sheldon's fingers with her lips. She licked the tips slightly as she pulled back, but she didn't get very far. Sheldon tugged her onto his lap and dove into her mouth retrieving the taste of the fruit that he had tempted her with. He began to nibble again on that tender spot on her neck he loved so much.

Their make out session was ended far too quickly when the phone rang at the ungodly hour of 9 AM. Amy was a lissome mass of nerves and Sheldon wasn't much better. Amy would have ignored the call, but Sheldon's twitching at the unanswered ringing meant that that was not an option. Amy recognized Leonard's number when she picked up her phone.

" _Hello Amy? Is Sheldon there?"_

"Yes. He um…came over earlier to umm… have breakfast… Oh ..god…" Now that the ringing had stopped, Sheldon could now concentrate on the business in hand and was sucking on Amy's neck near the point her carotid artery disappeared behind her ear.

Leonard cleared his throat, " _Okay…I figured he was there since he has been sneaking over to your place every night for the past week_."

Amy giggled, " _He thought he was so clever_."

" _Telling me he went over to the_ _Gas station at midnight? Sheldon? Please… Anyway… Tell him his phone rang at 7:30 AM_."

" _Okay_ …" Amy hung up as she pushed Sheldon off her with a playful nudge, "Your roommate, who, by the way, knew that you have been over here every night, says you received a phone call at 7:30 this morning. Do you think it's something important?"

Sheldon shook off his arousal, for the moment, "Well, Texas is 2 hours ahead. It could be mom. I better go check." Sheldon was suddenly worried.

"I'm sure it's nothing. Don't fret!" Amy put her hand on his cheek and kissed him on the other before Sheldon quickly went across the hall to retrieve his phone.

"Who was it Sheldon?" Amy asked when he had returned.

"No one important… So… Should we go back to bed?" Sheldon raised his brows suggestively, but Amy knew he was fibbing.

"Sheldon…"

Sheldon slumped his shoulders, "Oh alright.. It was president!"

Amy furled her brow, "Obama?" Amy grabbed his phone to look at the number, it was a local area code.

"NO! Besides, I am blacklisted from working on government projects, remember? It was just President Siebert."

Amy nodded, "Oh, far more important. Boy, it must be urgent for him to call so early. You better call back straight away."

Sheldon wasn't in the mood to call anyone. He wanted to go back to bed and continue his breakfast of Fowler and, if he could persuade her, a side of naked Amy. However, Amy insisted and handed him back his phone.

"Fine!" Sheldon dialed back the number begrudgingly. He thought the president would want to congratulate him again on winning the award, but it was more serious call:

" _Hello President Seibert. Yes… I'm glad you enjoyed my speech. Oh the Chancellor did as well? I'm not surprised… Dr. Fowler…. Thank you, yes, she is remarkable. No.. Not yet, sir_ , _but that is in the planning stages as we speak. Yes, it would be wonderful, sir._ " Sheldon blushed and turned as if trying to hide the phone from Amy.

Amy thought to herself, what was Sheldon planning that would be wonderful?

Sheldon continued to speak with Seibert but his voice changed as the conversation lingered, " _Monday? Can't you tell me now? PLEASE! I'll come to your house and ask you later then… What? Oh good. Yes, are you sure your daughter would hate to meet me, I don't know why. I am a delight. Oh the news, yes.. what is it? Okay… Oh that project. Really? Oh… for how long? Really? Okay… I'm… I um… Yes. A great honor. Thank you._ "

Sheldon hung up the phone but he didn't look pleased. Amy sat by him on the couch concerned and reached out for his hand.

"What is it, Sheldon?"

"Um… Do you remember the grant proposal I submitted to the National Science Foundation to detect slow-moving monopoles at the magnetic North Pole?"

"Yes, I helped you with the grammar …"

Sheldon glowered at Amy remembering her finding the one and only mistake he had made in grammar in 15 years, "That sentence was fine, you were just being nitpicky! Anyway, dangling participles aside, the president was so pleased that I won the Chancellor award that when space opened up on NSF expedition to the Arctic Circle, he wanted to send me. It seems Geology was set to go, but they said they would be happy to wait a year if it meant sending me. How thoughtful of them." Sheldon's voice trailed off. If he wasn't so distraught, his attempt at sarcasm would have pleased him.

Amy's face grew ghostly white at the thought of Sheldon being away, "Um… How long would you be gone?"

Sheldon matched her countenance and hue, "Three months."

Amy stumbled back into her chair. Three months? She had seen him every day for almost a year and half, how could she live for three months without her sweet baboo, just when she was getting used to his warm tempting body? They had just worked out sleep overs and even rated M nights, and now it was taken away with one call.

Amy shook off her own selfish reasons for asking him to say no. The thought standing in the way of Sheldon's career was the quickest way to get on the bad girlfriend list. She had to be strong, and support him, no matter how much it ripped out her gut and buried it.

Amy gave a forced smile, "Well. You would be on the cutting edge of science." Amy got up quickly to fetch another cup of tea. She was shaking from the news, but knew she would not stand in Sheldon's way of his Nobel.

"Amy… I can't sleep one night without you now, how am I going to sleep for three months?" He came up behind her and held her by the waist. "I can't go."

Sheldon had been waiting for this chance to prove his theory, and this was it. But how could he possibly be away from his little lump of wool for three months? He was addicted to her warm body next to him as he was to any drug. There was no way he could go, but his girlfriend seemed to have other ideas.

Amy turned around and held on to his shoulders, "Look, I will not be the cause of you missing this opportunity. You will resent me for it, and when we are old and grey, you will be like, "… _and you never let me go to the North Pole, or I would have that Nobel Prize…. Blah blah blah_." Amy's impression of Sheldon's whining was spot on, forcing a small smile from him.

"You see us old and grey together?" Sheldon held onto her hips and pulled back, trying to visualize a grey haired old Amy Farrah Fowler fixing tea and correcting his grammar. The image gave him comfort beyond what he expected, and if he had believed in coincidences, he would have felt it strange that Amy had expressed that thought just after President Siebert had asked him on the phone if he was married to Amy.

Amy smirked and nuzzled into this chest, "Only if you stop reciting pi to our waiters."

Sheldon pulled back to defend his completely reasonable actions, "It was pi day… There was pie… what was supposed to do?" "

"Oh Sheldon. I'm going to miss you so much." Amy dove back into his chest and held onto him with a grip so tight he could barely speak. He only wished it was tighter.

 **Three Months Later….**

Knock knock knock, "Amy"

Knock knock knock, "Amy"

Knock knock knock, "Amy"

Amy quickly opened the door and saw standing before her, a bearded Sheldon Cooper. She wanted to hug him the instant she saw him, to bring his body to hers and not let him go, but before she could bring him into her arms, the three other men reached to top of the stairs with all their equipment to ruin the moment. Amy was distracted by the bearded crew and knowing that Sheldon didn't like maudlin displays of emotions in public, she stepped back silently inviting him into her apartment, but Sheldon never took his eyes off Amy.

"Sheldon I am so glad you are back… I… I just…"

Sheldon didn't wait for her to finish, or say another word. He stepped toward her and in one motion, wrapped his arms around her body and nuzzled in her neck. Once Sheldon smelt the intoxicating aroma of cherries, he felt he was home. The only thing that would make it better would be if he could hold her in his spot. It was then he realized, she was his spot, his center of contentment and he never wanted to leave it again.

Amy had waited 3 months to feel his arms around her, though they had Skyped and talked about the experiment and lack of results, they had not spoken of anything personal due to the lack of privacy, and now that he was here, she was suddenly shy. She pulled away and walked towards the kitchen "You must be thirsty after your long journey, would you like a hot beverage?"

Sheldon looked at her puzzled as she walked to the kitchen not understanding why she had not returned his embrace, but answered, "Yes that would be nice"

As Amy busied herself with the kettle she asked, "How did your experiments go, it's been a while since we spoke, have you had any better results"

Sheldon though confused about Amy's apparently cold manner, continued to answer her questions. "Unfortunately no, though those three degenerates did try to pull the wool over my eyes by trying to falsify some results. Just because I tried to destroy Howard's Neil Diamond CD collection – boy he was driving me crazy playing them over and over again" Sheldon didn't want to tell Amy that one particular song 'Hello Again' reminded him too much of her.

They both sat down, and could only seem to exchange the idle chit chat of friends. For the first time in his life Sheldon had not achieved what he had wanted to, but what was worst, Amy knew of his failure – he was embarrassed and did not want to talk about it. Yet Amy was so proud of him. He had gone to the North Pole, lived in the wild, tested his theories, and had survived without killing his three tedious roommates. Yet he refused to open up further about his experiences, she was hurt and confused that he was guarded.

Eventually Sheldon stated that he should be getting back to his apartment to unpack and get cleaned up. Amy nodded as she took his cup from him and watched him go out her door.

The following few days saw them get back to some form of normalcy as Amy slowly overcame her initial shyness to the stage where they were back to sleeping together, though neither had yet had the courage to initiate the make out sessions that they had enjoyed before Sheldon had gone to the North Pole.

Amy's apparent reticence to move forward in their relationship was starting to worry Sheldon. He was concerned that his absence had lessened Amy's feeling for him, and Amy was now starting to worry if he loved her at all. Neither one dared to speak about it, fearing the truth would be aired. Once again, their lack of communication was the barrier between them, that only they could crack.

By the end of the week, the guys had made the decision to take Sheldon to the comic book to get him out of his funk. Sheldon begrudgingly agreed, after all, who turns down a trip to the comic book store? Also they had told him that Wil Wheaton would be there as he was signing up for Mystic Lords of Ka'ah tournament being arranged by Stuart for the following week.

Sheldon had met Wil when he was 11 and he signed his mint in box action figure. He now hoped that Wil Wheaton would recognize him. Unfortunately Wil didn't remember him, but Sheldon was a fan, and Wil loved his fans.

Wil put a smile on his face and worked the crowd. He sat next to Leonard, who was keen to chat about his relationship with Penny, an aspiring actress who had just auditioned for a new movie. Leonard finding an apparently sympathetic ear then opened his heart and confessed that he had strong feelings for Penny, but she seemed reluctant to commit to him, though he knew she cared for him.

Wil Wheaton was a little embarrassed by Leonard's almost tearful story, but related an experience of his own "Look, I am not saying this is how it is with you guys, but I dated this one girl, and I told her that I loved her, and she said she wasn't sure. And she strung me along for almost two years saying she wasn't ready for a commitment. It was brutal. We broke up, and two weeks later, she was engaged to some dentist."

Leonard sniffed into his hankie, "A Dentist?"

"Yep… from Encino…Just be prepared if she drops the boom, pal. You never know…" Wil gave Leonard a sympathetic pat on the arm and walked away leaving Leonard to question his relationship with Penny.

Sheldon had overheard everything Wil had said, and his face grew pale as he thought over the week's events. Could it be that he loved Amy more she loved him? Why had she been so cold when he got back? Yes they were sleeping together, but the intimacy they had previously shared seemed to be missing.

He wondered if perhaps he was more committed to the relationship than she was. He needed to get out, go somewhere quiet to think this fabricated dilemma through.

As he blindly walked up the cold Pasadena streets, unwelcome thoughts rushed through his mind. He had a flash of doubt that Amy didn't love him. How could it be, he pondered…He just couldn't understand how anyone could not love him. He was a joy to be around! He thought to himself, " _I am_ _Brilliant! Fun! A little needy perhaps. Occasionally, I might be caught up in my own thoughts, sure… Once and while, a slight bit condescending. Egoistical. Dismissive. Thoughtless. A Failure. Not even able to prove my theory,. Oh drats,_ he thought _, she MIGHT break up with me…_

Finally he ended up at the bar of the Cheesecake factory. He had never thought he'd end up here. Not in a million years. Not because it was a bar, although that was out of character, but because he had been aiming for Los Robles.

Penny was shocked when she saw Sheldon shuffle through the tables to mosey up to the bar where she was serving, "WOW, Sheldon… What brings you here? "

"I got troubles Penny…" Sheldon slumped on the bar and put his hands in his lap and pouted.

Penny couldn't get a read on Sheldon, but she knew things were on edge from Amy's description. Amy had told her how excited she had been for Sheldon's return. In fact, it was the ONLY thing Amy talked about for three months.

During his absence Amy showed up one day at Penny's apartment with a collection of books as tall as she was. Amy was convinced she needed to be a sexpert for Sheldon's sake. Not only had she asked Penny to tell her everything she knew about sex, but she also had a list of questions, some of which Amy showed her from the books, that made even experienced Penny blush. They had watched far too many soft porn movies and ate far too many bananas for Penny's taste.

Once Sheldon came home, Penny had expected Amy to be walking funny for a week. The failed experiment seemed to have put a damper on things, however it now appeared to be more of a cold shower. Seeing Sheldon so despondent was a puzzle, and just like the boxes Amy hid all those bananas in, Penny was bound and determined to figure this one out.

"What's the problem, slim?"

Sheldon snorted and turned up his nose, "I can't talk to you! You're one of _them_."

"One of who?"

"It's WHOM."

"I don't know, who is it?" Penny was getting nowhere fast.

"Women! All the troubles of the world stem from your kind, that's what daddy said. That and don't gamble on a terminally ill horse. That's what I am doing, Penny. Putting all my eggs in a poorly constructed basket. Should have been the hat I made with Amy at the Folk art Museum."

Sheldon was lost in a sea of analogies and Penny was trying to send up a life preserver. "I'm sure you and Amy can work it all out… Here, have an orange juice. It will make you feel better." Penny had put a little bit of Vodka in the OJ to help Sheldon loosen his tongue.

"One glass of fruit juice squeezed from your burly hands won't cure my ill's Penny!"

"Sure it will! It will keep me from using my burly hands on your neck. Drink!"

Sheldon backed off a little but was still in no mood for Penny's brand of humor, that is if she was joking … "Really?! Never go into the medical profession selling your false tonics." He looked at his sad orange drink and looked up at her with big blue eyes, "Um… you got any maraschino cherries?"

Penny threw about three cherries in his drink, "Don't worry about that, who would hire me to sell drugs?" Sheldon threw back the drink like it was in shot glass, "Woah… slow down, Sheldon."

"I drink OJ all the time, I think I know what I am doing… Hit me with another. More cherries this time…"

Penny poured another glass with a double shot, "So, ready to tell me now?" She handed him the glass with a smirk.

"NO! I'm not…" Sheldon downed the drink in one gulp. "Okay, I'm ready… get this… I am going to break up with Amy before she breaks up with me. SHHH! Give me another."

Penny was so shocked by the news that she didn't watch her pouring arm. She handed him the drink and asked, "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"

"Really? Have you heard some of the things you say?"

"YES!... But Sheldon, Amy is the best girlfriend you will ever have. Give me one good reason why you would break up with her?"

"She doesn't love me as much as I love her." He calmly said as he handed back his empty glass, "Another OJ please."

"Horse Hockey!" Penny poured him another, not as strong but the damage was done, "Here's your drink."

Sheldon guzzled down his drink like a sailor on shore leave, then with glossy eyes and slurring words, "Penny… Penny… Penny… You don't understand, cause you and Little Leonard are fine… Just…F…I …N... Something like that. More OJ!"

Penny shook her head, "Oh boy, Amy was right, you are a lightweight." She ignored his request and picked up her phone to text Amy.

"Why would she do that, Sheldon? She is crazy about you. You can't get her to shut up about you. Believe me, I tried… For three months… I tried…" Penny stuffed her phone in her pocket. Amy was on her way, but not soon enough.

Sheldon looked away, despondent, "I'm a callous egomaniac I'm gonna lose her…"

"No, you're not… well not callous anyway… Hey where are you going?" Sheldon grabbed the first bottle he could reach, which was a bottle of Southern Comfort, and took a big swig.

"Oh, that is not a comfort to a Southern, let me tell ya!" He stumbled over to the keyboard and microphone with his bottle in hand.

He tapped on the microphone "Hello Folks…. Sheldon Cooper here. Yes.. thank you… Thank you… Tip your waitresses. Now..for your dining pleasure, here is a little diddy I've been singing all summer… " _HELLLO AGAIN….HELLO! JUST CALLED TO SAY… HELLLO!"_

Penny thought to herself as she checked her phone again _, "Holy crap on a cracker… Amy better get here quick!"_

About 10 minutes later, Amy rushed into the restaurant to find Sheldon and a table of Japanese business men belting out the lyrics Love on the Rocks…

 _First, they say they want you  
How they really need you  
Suddenly you find you're out there  
Walking in a storm_

The Japanese business men added the next part in a chorus.

 _When they know they have you  
Then they really have you  
Nothing you can do or say  
You've got to leave, just get away  
We all know the song.."_

Amy went over to Penny, "What the heck happened?"

"Well… I thought he needed to loosen up. I didn't realize he was already half there. But the crowd loves him!" Penny had been enjoying Sheldon's singing, which given his inebriated state, wasn't half bad. She had been recording the whole evening to show Leonard. Little did she know, the best was still to come.

Amy was about to take Penny's phone away, but felt that Sheldon's caterwauling was a bigger priority.

She slowly walked over to him as if approaching a deer in the wood and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. Sheldon looked up with reddened eyes, "Hello again… HELLO!"

Amy smiled and brushed his hair off his forehead, "Sheldon what is going on?"

"You're gonna leave me… cause I'm not provable. I don't have tangible results! Like monopoles!… cause Wil Wheaton says so…"

"Wil Wheaton, what are you talking about?" Amy whispered in his ear, "Sheldon, the only proof I need is how I feel when I think of you. My love for you isn't a theory…It's a law proven time and time again. Now come on… let's go home…We'll talk about what upset you so much tomorrow."

Sheldon swayed with a sleepy smile, "Okay…smart Amy." He tapped her head.

Sheldon twirled around and bent his head to microphone, "Sorry, folks I gotta go, here's my ride! But I will come back next week and we discuss higher dimensional thinking in so far as it relates to pants. Maybe I can show you now!" Sheldon tried to take off his pants, but he just twisted around.

Amy knew this would lead somewhere bad, or naked, "NO! Sheldon, leave your pants out of it. Come home with me." She snuggled up to him to get him moving and his hand off the pants, "Sing to me at home."

Sheldon took his hand off his belt, "Okay…Amy…" He got on the microphone again before he left, "Folks…Thisss here is Dr. Amy.. Farrah.. Fowler. She's a peach, folks. Ain't she great?"

The group of drunk business men all raised their glasses and yelled, "To Amy!"

Amy was mortified, "Sheldon... Please..."

Before Amy could say another word she felt a swift twinging pain on her backside as Sheldon swatted her behind with enough force that the crowd heard the impact like a canon blast along with a squeal from Amy.

"Sheldon!"

Sheldon's biggest mistake came next and it would be quite a while before he recovered. He grabbed three things: The microphone, an onion ring off the Japanese businessman's plate and Amy's back side.

Amy let out another squeal which made Sheldon giggle. "God I love that sound. I love every sound from you, little lady." Sheldon got on one knee, and held up the onion ring.

"Amy…You're the best thing that ever… I saw… I think.. Yes.. So let's put on this ring, go down to the court house?" He blinked a few times and swayed while on his knee.

"Are you asking me to marry you? WITH AN ONION RING?" Amy's face was now burning red with embarrassment and fury. Sheldon didn't notice.

"Well, the curly fries had ketchup on them!" Sheldon rose up off his knees, and smiled as he swayed.

"Sheldon, we will discuss this tomorrow!" Amy took off the onion ring, but Sheldon shoved it in his coat pocket.

"Sounds like a yes to me, right folks!?" Sheldon looked around the room, but the only ones cheering were the Japanese business men. Penny almost dropped the phone she was holding.

Sheldon believing himself to be the romantic god he was, continued, "Now, how's about you grab that bottle and we high tail it outta here, Future MRS. Dr. Cooper!" Sheldon grabbed Amy by the waist and dipped her down to kiss her in front of the whole crowd, some of which were now clapping or gasping. Sheldon brought Amy back up for air, held onto her hand with a tight grip as he stumbled toward the door with Amy in tow.

Though Amy was furious, she knew she would have to hold in her rage till he sobered up, then he would get a full dose of Amy's wrath. She hid a smile that he even wanted to marry her, but the onion ring ruined the joy.

As they exited the Cheesecake factory, Sheldon saw a liquor store realized that he no longer had his bottle of Southern Comfort.

"Amy… what would it take for you to go into that liquor store, buy a bottle of hooch, take me across the street to that motel, and have your way with me?"

Amy pulled him toward the car roughly, "Sheldon! I'm begging you, Please! Let's go home!"

"Fine! But you are not very good at comforting Southerns, little lady!" Sheldon snorted and slumped in the car.

After navigating Sheldon's seat belt, Amy had a hard time keeping his hands off her while she drove home. However, walking him up the stairs was a different manner. Sheldon wanted Amy to walk ahead so he could watch her hips move. Amy finally got him to his room, and tucked into bed, fighting his wandering hands the whole time.

Around 7:30 AM, Amy woke up in her own bed with Sheldon wrapped around like a ribbon. He was only wearing his briefs and sleepy smile. At least, she thought, the Cheesecake Factory didn't get the floor show he had planned.

She tried to pull herself away from Sheldon, but he pulled her back, and nestled into her chest, "Mmm, cherries…"

"Oh boy." Amy wasn't able to pull away from sleepy Sheldon for another hour. Finally she was able to get up, and start a kettle. About 10 minutes later, Sheldon came out of the bedroom wearing Amy's grandmother's robe that Howard had worn with Cousin Irene. It fit him like a mini skirt.

Amy let out a giggle, "I thought I burned that after Howard's dalliance."

"Shhh… Yes… It's an abomination." Sheldon looked a fright, with his hands on his ears and a face of shear pain, "Why are you hammering things in here Amy?" He let out a pained groan.

Amy looked around the kitchen. The only sound was from the kettle and Sheldon's moaning, "I'm not hammering. Do you mean the kettle percolating?"

"Yes, make it stop, for sake of all humanity. Make it stop!"

Amy had to laugh. Sheldon was such a lightweight, but it was good thing he didn't drink that often or he'd be naked and married to god who knows, "Sheldon, drink this water, and take these. Now go sit on the bar stool. We have to talk."

Sheldon downed the water and pills, "Talk? Right? Not yell… Like you're doing now?"

"Sheldon, I am not yelling, but what were you thinking? Why did you get so drunk? Singing Love on the Rocks? That song is only for the most dire emergencies!"

Sheldon mumbled in his tea, "I was going to break up with you."

Amy sucked her top teeth and crossed her arms. She raised her voice slightly, "OH REALLY NOW? DO TELL!"

"Amy! Please! No Yelling! And your shirt is too bright, again." Sheldon held his head so the jack hammers would stop.

He continued, with a soft pained voice, "Now that the alcohol has worked its way through my addle mind, I can see that was an erroneous decision."

"Damn right buddy." Amy was still cross, but the sight of sullen Sheldon was too much to resist. "You would have regretted it ya know."

"I already do. BELIEVE ME!"

He looked at the counter and saw a very smushy onion ring. He was confused why Amy would have trash on the counter, since she was as clean as he was. "Amy… why do you have… what appears to be an onion ring on the counter?"

Amy bent her head down an inspected the item like a jeweler, "Oh, that's my engagement ring! The girls will be so jealous."

Sheldon swallowed any moisture in his mouth and looked up at Amy with reddened eyes, "Excuse me?"

"Don't tell me you don't remember? Here… Penny recorded it…" Amy had her laptop out and connected to Youtube.

"Oh god no…" Sheldon held his breath as she started the video.

"Oh yes…" Amy tilted the computer toward him and he watched in horror as he belted out Neil Diamond and swatted Amy's backside with a large thud.

"Oh dear lord, Amy I am so sorry!" He moaned again, this time from embarrassment, "This cannot get anymore humiliating…"

Amy pulled in her lips to stop her laugh, "It can…Just watch…"

Sheldon viewed the big finish as he proposed to the love of his life with a deep fried vegetable. He looked at Amy in horror and stammered, "I didn't!"

"You did!" Amy smirked, "Don't feel bad. The video only had 50,000 views. Oh, and because you said my name, I've received over 150 emails. 75 said to say yes. 65 of them think I should break up with you. 10 offered their hands in marriage instead. I even got picture of various men's body parts as proof of their sexual virility!"

Sheldon shrieked, "You didn't answer them did you?" Amy dead pan expression told him he better not ask again, "I guess not…"

"Oh Amy!" Sheldon threw his head in his hands and let out a long shrill sigh. "How can you ever forgive me?"

Amy thought she had teased him enough. She ran her hand over his head, combing his hair with her fingers, "Oh my sweet baboo, I already have. I know you didn't mean it…"

Sheldon put his head up and said with all the confidence in the world, "Oh, I meant it. Just not like that!"

Amy stopped breathing for a moment and dropped her jaw. Sheldon was confused by her reaction. "Amy? Are you breathing?"

Now it was Amy's turn to stammer, "You… um… wwwant to mmmarry me?"

"Of course! It's a natural progression of our relationship. We have a five year time line, but I think we should move it up. Do you want to wait for coitus till our wedding night?"

"Our…time line? What?"

Sheldon forced the eye roll back, but it was difficult. "Amy. We are compatible, given our new sleeping and intimacy arrangement, we are practically living together."

Amy found her voice, "Sheldon! We've only been dating for three months, for most of which you were in the North pole! Wait…are you asking me just so we will have sex?"

Sheldon sucked in his bottom lip and then said quietly, "NO…no… not per say…"

Amy's eyes narrowed to slits. Sheldon instinctively backed away from her but there was no escaping her glare. She drew in a long breath, then another. Then with a low husky voice, she spoke slowly so Sheldon would understand every word," Sheldon Cooper, I am going to say this as calmly as I can. This is not how you propose. AT ALL. No drunken after thoughts, no time lines, although… that's not half bad idea… But certainly NO ONION RINGS. UGH!"

The volume on her voice was raised to ear deafening decibels. "The next time you think you want to propose, you better think long and hard on it! **Do you get it**!?" Amy stormed off to the bedroom and slammed the door.

Sheldon winced at the sound echoing through the apartment and looked down at the onion ring again.

"Okay… that I got…"

 **Six months later…**

Amy and Sheldon were back stage waiting in the green room for the guest of honor to make an appearance. Getting Sheldon through the crowd had been difficult, but he was trooper. He had a goal in mind, and the stage was set. He felt his pocket for the 100th time that night. He still had the ring he obtained 5 months and 25 days ago and this time, it didn't smell like onions.

Amy's face hurt from smiling. Not only had Sheldon, of his own accord, asked her to a Neil Diamond concert, he even got back stage passes. Amy had to remind herself not to lock her knees. She was a level beyond giddy, beyond elated. She was nearly at the same level of happiness she had felt after she and Sheldon had made love the first time four months ago. Nearly, but not quite.

Sheldon slumped down where he was standing, and started to whine, "How long does it take to get off stage? Does he have to pick up ALL that used underwear? I'll tell ya Amy, there is no way I am shaking his hand. Not without evidence of a thorough hand washing and a blood test confirming he doesn't have Hep C. "

"SHELDON! Neil Diamond doesn't have Hep C! And those panties are not used. Well… Mine was, but I don't think the other ladies have my forethought or frugality. Now be nice, you promised!"

"I can't believe you threw your underwear at another man! That was a gross violation of the relationship agreement!"

"Hey I didn't touch him! Just my unmentionables. Besides, there is nothing in the relationship agreement about throwing undergarments to the opposite sex!"

"One minute with my Ipad, and there will be little lady. Just you wait and see!"

"Just be nice, and I won't give him my bra, okay?"

"WHAT?!" Just as Amy said that, Neil Diamond and his entourage entered the room. He was much older than the pictures Amy had as her screen saver, but Sheldon did agree, he did look like the the physicist Feymann.

Mr. Diamond had to shake a few VIP's hands before he got to the couple. Finally, he walked over to Amy and Sheldon and offered his hand. Sheldon hid his under his arms, but Amy took it in both of hers.

"Hello you two! Nice to finally meet the man you can belt out Hello Again as well I can!" Neil smiled. It seemed that Sheldon's little failed marriage proposal had turned him into an internet celebrity. The video had more hits than the kid who drugged after the dentist. Neil Diamond had heard and seen the drunken serenade and had written to Sheldon to offer him tickets. Sheldon took a step further and asked for a favor.

Neil smiled at Amy, "Well, there she is. Tell me, has he offered any more appetizers to you?"

"No… Neil.. Mr. Diamond… I just…" Amy almost fainted, but Sheldon caught her.

"We better speed this up, or she will throw her brazier at you."

"Oh damn… Okay…" Neil gave Sheldon and wink and stepped back leaving Sheldon stood by her side. Confused, Amy looked to Sheldon for an explanation, but he grasped Amy's hands, and licked his lips.

"This is what I should have said to you six months ago." Sheldon smiled nodded to Neil who started to sing

Say that you'll marry me  
Sometimes carry me  
And I will be there forever more  
For you

Sheldon took out the ring he had asked his mother for over five months earlier. He slipped it on her finger while she was still finding words. Neil Diamond kept singing.

Promise you'll stay with me  
We'll make some memories  
And maybe a dream or two will come true  
Who knows?

Amy gasped and threw her arms around the man whose words just pierced her heart. Neil Diamond nearly choked against Amy tight grip. Then she got some composure, and remembered, it was Sheldon whom had asked her. Without a second to spare she grabbed Sheldon face and peppered him with kisses saying yes with each one.

Finally Amy hugged Sheldon with the strength of wrestler, and he put his arms around her while he spoke to Neil Diamond standing behind him, "I think the song was too much…"

* * *

 **A/N: I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into the life of Sheldon Two. Next up, the Sheldon's react to Sheldon's Two's tale.**

 **Again, thank you for your support and reviews. I love to hear what you think about the story, or anything! Thanks again!**


	8. Chapter 8: Mini Coopers

**Six Sheldon's**

 **Chapter 8: Mini Coopers**

* * *

 **Hello folks. Deep in this chapter, there is a reference to a story a friend of mine wrote called the** **The Transboundary Peregrination. See if you can find it.**

 **Thanks again to ShAMy4evr as always.**

* * *

 **Here is the recap:  
** **  
** **Sheldon One: He is the Sheldon from the Show. This story takes place minutes after the Skype call ended from the Finale.**

 **Sheldon Two: He is from my Big Reversal Theory: The Vixen in 4B story. You just found out he proposed in 2010. He is marred in 2011.**

 **Sheldon Three: Let's just call him happy. He is the Sheldon who had a one night stand with Amy after meeting her in the theater.**

 **Sheldon Four: He broke up with Amy over the Table incident in Season 7 and hasn't been with her since.**

 **Sheldon Five: This is the Sheldon from my Caustic Cohabitation Conundrum. He is the one who met Amy when he was 21 at Harvard. This is 15 years later and a lot of changes have happened.**

 **Sheldon Six: Non-believer. His story will unfold later, but he is unlike them all.**

* * *

Sheldon Two finished up his story with a large grin which seemed completely out of place, given his embarrassing onion ring story. His refusal to recognize his debacle ignited a debate within the group as to who was the biggest idiot of all the Sheldons. Currently the consensus was that it was Sheldon Two with Sheldon Four a close second.

Sheldon Four shook his head and asked with contempt, "Wait…I thought number One was the clueless idiot!? Now it's Number Two? I can't keep up!"

"Hey! We said no nick names." Sheldon Three smiled, "But god, he's right about you, number Two! HA! That was the worst proposal ever!" Sheldon Three slapped his knee as he chuckled.

Sheldon One snickered from the middle of the couch, "That's worse than Leonard! How can I take proposal advice from you!?" He shook his head, but Sheldon Two was incensed.

"Now just wait a cotton picking minute! I had Neil Diamond, for god sake! How can you top that? Amy loves that long haired crooner and his habit of collecting underwear." Sheldon Two was not going to let anyone tell him he didn't know romance.

Sheldon Six popped into the conversation briefly, "Cause the first time you asked her to marry you, you did it with an appetizer, while you were soused and only because you wanted to git in her pants! That's why!"

Sheldon Two looked away, "Ok, that does sound bad… But I didn't just want to get in her pants!" Sheldon Two shifted around on the spot, "Amy… doesn't wear pants."

"Still a clueless moron." Sheldon Four sneered from the couch arm. Sheldon One nodded to him with a sly grin.

"Again… no nick names." Sheldon Three leaned over the back of the couch and stuck his head between them.

"Here's the thing…that's not a nick name, it's a fact." Sheldon Four snickered at Sheldon Three and stuck his tongue out at Number Two.

Sheldon Six just thought the entire affair was hysterical. "But holy crap, who could screw up a proposal any more than that?"

Sheldon Five raised his hand, "Well Amy said I did. She said asking her to marry me for tuition breaks was not my finest hour." Sheldon Five looked toward the white board to avoid the glares.

"TUTITION BREAKS!" Sheldon Six looked around the room, "Oh sweet lord! How do you guys ever keep this woman?"

"Some of us don't…" Sheldon Four got off the couch and brooded in the corner of the room, leaning against the bookcase. He needed to stretch his legs, and get away from the crowd for a while. All the talk of marriage and children had become too much for him. It was something he would never know, ergo it was not worth knowing.

Sheldon One was white a sheet with a palpable fear he had known for months. He knew he wanted to marry Amy and in fact, it was just a matter of time before he asked her. The 5th anniversary would have been a good time. If he ever did get back to his dimension, which was still up for debate, how could he possibly contemplate proposing to Amy given this track record before him? They all screwed it up! He had to admit to himself, the Neil Diamond thing was a nice touch, but unless he became an internet sensation, there was no way he could get him. Sheldon One wondered how well James Earl Jones could carry a tune?

He knew that the proposal is important to girls and there was a lot of pressure for it to be spectacular but the yes was all he needed. She surely wouldn't say no, would she?

The only two Sheldons who had proposed were married, so they got a yes, even with their terrible performances. Maybe it wasn't as hard as it seemed. He made a mental note: Don't be drunk, no onion rings and no Neil Diamond ogling Amy's underroos.

However Sheldon Two still was convinced his proposal was the best, "Look, Amy thought it was amazing. Besides all that matters is…"

"The **yes**!" Sheldon One announced. He loved answering the questions when he knew he was right. Unfortunately, he was wrong.

Sheldon Five rolled his eyes, "WRONG! It's not about her saying yes. That is the result. The goal is that she knows you want to spend the rest of her life with her. NO ulterior motive, no other reason. Just that you know in your bones she is the only person for you. Everything else is just window dressing. Do ya get it?" He learned his lesson with his own proposal.

Sheldon One was still lost, "So you don't want a yes?"

Sheldon Five rubbed his temples and said as calmly as he could, "Oh dear lord… YOU WANT HER TO SAY YES! That's true, but because she wants to spend her life with you."

Sheldon One looked completely confused, "But I know that already, so why get married?"

Sheldon Four was curious on this point as well, "Well, that a darn good question… So why **do** you want to get married, Number One? Given the fact you know you want to spend the rest of our… I mean your… life with her, why go through the trouble?" He bellowed his question from across the room.

"That's what you do!" Sheldon One shrugged his shoulders.

Sheldon Four came back to the middle of the room, "No, that is **not** what you do. You don't have to get married at all! It's not required, it's not necessary. You marry her because you can't imagine your life without her. You marry her because she is the best person in your life and you want the world to know it every day. You marry her because every day you look at that ring, you remember she said she would be with you forever. She chose you. You know she means it too, because it's Amy. You never have to guess if she loves you. You never have to wonder. She will love you forever, no matter how much you screw up, or fail, she will always be there for you. You marry her because you love her more than you love yourself. THAT is why you marry her. Not because it's what Leonard did, or Howard, or what some book said. You do it because you can't imagine **not** doing it!" Sheldon Four moved back to the wall, leaned, his shoulder against the bookcase and looked at the ground.

The entire room was silenced and they all looked over to Sheldon Four with a renewed understanding and sympathy.

Sheldon Six smiled, and said quietly, "Here here!"

"What he said…. Exactly…" Sheldon Two smiled at Sheldon Four, but his reply was too weak to be called even a grin. Sheldon Four shown simply a look of regret.

Sheldon Three looked back at Sheldon Four, and said kindly, "You do know that your Amy is always there for you as well, right?"

Sheldon Four Turned away, "I'm not so sure." He straightened up his back, "But **his** Amy sure is. _A Step back…_ I should have just asked for a step back…" He looked away again.

Sheldon One melted into his seat with the realization he was still on shaky ground with Amy. At least they hadn't been broken up for almost a year, like Sheldon Four, but he still was nowhere near asking her to marry him. Then there was the added pressure of the wedding night. Social convention dictates that was when they would consummate their relationship. He couldn't put it off after they were married unless he faked he was sick on the wedding night. Maybe he could have a sample of mad cow around just in case Amy demanded evidence of his sickness.

Yet another issue Sheldon One thought about was what it would be like to be with Amy on a daily basis. These Sheldons seemed elated to have her as a roommate/wife. Sheldon One was not so sure he could take the pressure.

Sheldon One announced, "Well, if I ever get through this break, and she does say yes… It will be a sweaty love fest."

"HA!" Sheldon Six snickered.

Sheldon One raised his voice in defense, "It will! I will kiss her for at least 3 minutes! Just watch! Isn't that what happened to you, number Five? You were young and your endocrine system was not as honed as ours. I bet Kolinhr didn't even help you!"

Sheldon Five curled up the side of his mouth, "Oh it helped plenty."

Sheldon One shook his head, "Living with her on a daily basis? You must have been a grunting mass of testosterone by the end of the summer!"

Sheldon Three smiled and looked at number Five, "I can see that. It's a good look for you. So… were ya?"

Five placed his hands on his chest, shocked at their question. He bellowed out, "NO!" but no one believed him.

Sheldon Five looked around seeing that all the guys eagerly wanted to hear his tale. "Fine! Amy and I were roommates when I was at Harvard. Yes… we lived together… closely… There was one instance of a vaccumm cleaner.. but other than that, we really didn't touch each other."

"What in the hell kinda kinky crap are you into, number Five?" Sheldon's six eyes popped open and the whole group leaned in. they wanted details but what they got was another coy devilish grin.

Sheldon Five ignored the comment, "We had a marvelous summer. She really is the best roommate."

"Really?" Sheldon One leaned in to hear more, "She didn't pressure you for intimacy every night?"

Sheldon Four scoffed, "Dear lord, did you do like this guy and sleep with her on the first night meeting her?" He pointed to Sheldon Three, who just grinned.

"NO! We were just friends. There was no pressure because we were both too young and naïve to notice. We had an agreement after the first week. She cooked every night, and I did all the cleaning. It was the best arrangement and we have it to this day. From what you have described in your stories, it sounds like she is far superior to living with than Leonard. I can't even imagine the fresh hell ya'all have had to contend with over the last 8 years." Sheldon Five looked pained at the thought.

"Preach, brother. Leonard is our penance for crimes of a past life, if we are to believe Raj's philosophy." Sheldon Two had had to spend months getting Leonard to move out, and it had been a joyous day when it happened.

Sheldon Three moaned out, "God, what the hell did we do? Murder nuns? I ask for so little! No Babylon Five! How hard is that!?"

"HERE HERE!" The group cheered again.

Sheldon One wanted to hear more of Sheldon Five's story, "Tell us number Five, how did you get over the intimacy issue so quickly."

Sheldon Five sat back for a moment and sunk in the beige chair. He tapped his chin and said, "I didn't have to get over it, per say because it was never an issue. Like I said, we were friends, but I have to say, I was attracted to her the moment I met her, I just didn't know it. She was brilliant, stunning. Well, she still is, more so now. Anyway, we went to a University party, and after far too much punch…"

Sheldon Four let out a loud groan, "Oh god, we got another one!" Sheldon Five swallowed and glared at Sheldon Four after his outburst.

Before he could say a word, Sheldon Four screeched, "You had sex with her when you were drunk! Sheldon Two tried to have sex with her when he was drunk! We got slutty Sheldon, sloppy drunk Sheldon and now a combo of the two!"

The whole group yelled at Sheldon Four, "NO NICK NAMES!"

Sheldon Four groused, "FINE!" He walked back and dropped down on the couch arm, crossing his arms and glaring at them all.

Sheldon Five tried to continue his story, "Anyway… We did not have sex, but we thought we had. So in order to trigger our memories…"

"You dog!" Sheldon Three called out, but all the Sheldon's looked at him like he was crazy, "What?! Leonard can say it but I can't? Geez! Tough crowd…"

Sheldon Five shook his head, and rubbed his temples in frustration, "I was not a dog! It was her idea!"

"I **bet** it was her idea, and she was waiting for it all summer... I think she was…" Sheldon Four was about to say something about Sheldon Five's Amy. Sheldon Six rose to meet him, but Sheldon Five put his hand out to stop him and without taking his eyes off Sheldon Four, he lowered his tone to such a low growl, Sheldon Four's rib cage rumbled.

"Listen up, number Four. I know you are devastated over losing your Amy and you're lashing out. I understand, especially after hearing your story. But, if you say a word, no.. even a whisper about my wife, I will lay you out like a Sunday suit, understand? I know EXACTLY where to hit you so it hurts. It will hurt for years, and make that peso up your nose feel like a paper cut, you got me?" Sheldon Five's warning made the room fall silent as they all held their breath, even Sheldon Six.

Sheldon Four hadn't had a talking to like that since he had striped the wires out of his father's truck for his failed death ray experiments. He shrunk down to the size of an 8 year old scared little boy and said softly, "Yes, sir."

Sheldon Five bloomed a smile again, and said quickly, "Good. Now, where was I? Oh yeah. I got her pregnant."

"WHAT!?" Sheldon Four screamed out, then he seemed to shrivel into himself and pulled in his lips.

"Holy cow. On the first time? Amy and I were trying for years." Sheldon Two had married Amy in 2011. "It had taken a lot of convincing for her to start thinking about having a baby. She was worried we hadn't been married long enough."

Sheldon Two smiled just thinking of his impeding fatherhood, "Now its 2015 and she is just now pregnant. There was a blockage on her fallopian tube, a genetic defect or something. She had a hysterosalpingography and they caught it. Before that, they thought she was just having hormone problems and pumped her full of so much funny juice she was as emotional as Penny during a shoe sale. It's a wonder the doctor's found it. They say it had developed in her twenties."

Sheldon Five listened to the explanation and wondered about the timing of what the doctor's had told Sheldon Two's Amy. It would explain a few things for his Amy and gave him yet another reason to feel his youngest child was a near miracle, "Well, she got pregnant on the first time so no problems for her. But it all worked out, in fact, for the better!"

"Wait.. Hold up… you had a baby… At 21?" Sheldon One could process the implications. At 21, he had barely been able to speak to another person, let alone sire a child.

"Yes. It wasn't as hard as it sounds. Babies are easy. Wives are the hard part." Sheldon Five smiled to Sheldon Two who knew all too well what he was saying. Sheldon Three gulped as did Sheldon One.

Sheldon Two had so many questions, "Does your Amy crave Palak Paneer in the middle of the night on a Sunday? I had to drive all over Pasadena to…"

Sheldon One, Four, Three and even Sheldon Six all boomed out, "YOU CAN DRIVE?"

Sheldon's Two and Five looked at each other and answered the group, "Of course!" Sheldon Two told the group, "Amy taught me on bumper cars. Then I had a few instances of real life 'bumper cars' in the Caltech parking lot, but what Wolowitz doesn't know about his car, won't hurt him. Eventually, yeah! Now I drive all the time since that wife of mine insists on doing the navigation instead of my brilliant self-guided tours on GPS. She's afraid we will end in lost in forest, sleeping in deer stands, wandering for days eating beans out of cans or some such nonsense! Like that would happen in any universe! What a worry wart, huh?"

Sheldon One ignored the horrific fears of Sheldon Two's Amy and just smiled as he remembered the weekend driving lessons with his Amy. He had been nervous, of course, and had put it off for years. However Amy had convinced him through an unwavering confidence in his abilities, "Amy taught me, but I mess up the pedals. God she has so many pedals. I'm afraid to touch them."

Sheldon Four popped in the conversation, "I don't think I could ever touch Amy's pedals!"

"Oh poppy cock! You could, you just need practice. It's not like she is going to let you drive right away! You got to work up to it. Ease yourself in, slowly building up confidence. Then you can drive Amy's pedals all over the place!"

Sheldon One smiled, "I think I would like that. I think I'm ready."

"Good. You just need to find the right gear. Do you have a book?" Sheldon Five asked.

"Yes, but it gave me nightmares." Sheldon One hunched his shoulders just thinking about it.

"As long as you can find neutral, you're fine." Sheldon Five's nonchalant attitude about driving was a mystery to Sheldon One. He needed to know more. Much more.

"I can never find neutral. Amy puts her hand on mine and guides me to it, but I miss it every time."

"You got to feel for it. Like a low hum..."

"Oh, I heard that. I like that sound." Sheldon One smiled.

"It a great sound." Even Sheldon Five was smiling now.

Sheldon One was still worried, "Keeping track of Amy's pedals and that stick is hard!"

Sheldon Two offered this advice, "Let Amy handle the stick while you work the pedals for a while. That will help. Then you take over and you're in charge."

"Good advice, and I like being in charge."

"We all do." Sheldon Five smirked, "It gets better though…First gear is slow, second is like you're driving over speed bumps, slow, but steady. Third is faster, a little fun, a good rhythm. Fourth is where you really get going." Sheldon Five was talking to Sheldon One, but the rest were listening like eager apprentices.

"Amy likes it when I go slow." Sheldon One smiled as he thought to their recent driving lessons. She was so patient and caring. He didn't matter how many times he messed up the pedals, she was always smiling that he was even trying.

Sheldon Two bit his lip and leaned into Sheldon One with a confidential tone, "I know, but let me tell you a secret, she likes it fast too. She really likes it. Once you find fifth gear, oh man, the look on her face. It's…"

Sheldon Three raised his hand like he was in class, "Are we still talking about driving, or are you talking about the advice Number Five gave Leonard about foreplay?"

Sheldon Two thought about it for moment, "Both I guess." He looked around the room at the shocked faces and quickly added, "Um… so yeah…You have to drive with a baby on the way!"

Sheldon Five smiled, "How far along is she?" It seemed that he was only interested in hearing about children and pregnancy. Sheldon Four looked sick, Sheldon One was confused and Sheldon Three looked afraid.

Sheldon Two beamed to the group as the proud father he would soon be. He could talk about his future progeny all day, if asked. "7 and ½ months. She is big though, holy cats. She looks like a beach ball with sticks. We are finally past the worrying stage."

Sheldon Five started to laugh, "Ha! Pal, you NEVER GET out of the worrying stage. It just morphs to the fretting stage, the agonizing stage. There are multiple levels of nerve wracking. The fun one is the up all night waiting for them to sleep stage… Now I have to worry about the up all night wondering when they are coming home stage of parenting."

Sheldon One couldn't imagine it, "Waiting for them to come home? Where the devil are your offspring? Wandering the mean streets of Pasadena like a bunch of vagrants! Don't you track them? Send out drones. Use your robot minions?"

"Amy's a tad over protective, but I don't track him, I trust my son. He is out with friends. My son has a girlfriend with whom he studies French every night." Sheldon Five leaned back and smiled, but the group was not as impressed.

Sheldon Three bursts out a laugh, "HA! I don't think they are studying French!"

Sheldon Five grimaced, "Well, it sure the heck isn't Geology."

"More like _**Biology**_." Sheldon Three smiled but the other Sheldon's just looked at him like he was crazy. He seemed the only one in the group who understood teen age hormones.

Sheldon Five missed the hint, "Well… His mother would be proud. She has her hands full with the little one. She is a little over protective since we had the accident with Nic."

Sheldon Two looked sickened, "Oh God, what happened to your boy?"

Sheldon Five smiled, "He's fine now… No big deal since it was years ago but at the time it was a big scare, but he was just fine." The whole group could tell he was lying. "I was um…more upset over what happened to Amy."

Sheldon Four looked at Sheldon Five and said, "What… Um… happened to Amy." Sheldon Two rose from their spot on the couch and exchanged places with Sheldon Five so that he could tell his tale.

"Well…It all happened after Nic's accident and that day in the hospital…"

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 **A/N: Thanks for the reviews folks. I really needed them this week. I need a little hope.**

 **Speaking of hope, I hope you find the reference to QBMaja's story. If you haven't read it, it's a hoot! I love it.**

 **I am doing a collaboration story with her called: The Erroneous Assumption Predicament under the pen name: QBHazelraMPHS. Its all written in the "QBmaja" Style. I write all the Amy's parts, she writes the Sheldon parts. MPHS95 edits it all for us. Its been a blast.**

 **Thanks again.**


	9. Chapter 9: Sheldon's Translator

**Six Sheldon's**

 **Chapter 9: Sheldon's Translator.**

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 **There is a trigger warning on this chapter. I am not sure how much I should say, but it deals with some pretty dramatic events.**

 **This is the back story for Sheldon Five about five years after Harvard. It is written in POV of Sheldon. I will alternate the POV for the backstories.**

 **Thanks to my Beta, ShAmy4evr**

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It was Sunday, at 12:48 on a hot August day that we arrived at the party. Of course I remember the time because Bernadette's squeal nearly broke my ear drum and I am convinced has affected my hearing to this day. Amy said she was excited to see us, but I was not so sure given the shrill cat call we were greeted with, but Amy was right. Bernadette had been dying for us to come for visit, and after much wrangling on Amy's part, we finally acquiesced.

We had just arrived at the Wolowtiz' new house to christen their new pool, and after a brief argument in the car with Amy warning me to keep my Ebola comments to myself, we knocked on the door. The only problem with this visit was that darn new pool. "New" was a relative term that Howard used loosely to describe the above ground pool his cousin David had given him as a hand me down when David had had their concrete pool installed in their yard. I was vexed to say the least. Pools are notoriously dangerous around toddlers and Nic was only 4 years and 9 months; far too young to be around some grimy hand me down pool.

Amy seemed blasé about the pool since she would never let Nic out of her sight anyway. I deferred to her judgment for two reasons: One, she was always right, and two, even if she wasn't, it was best to say she was. I had learned that hard lesson from being with her for almost five years. So as we would both have our keen eyes on him, she felt that he would be safe.

The first five years of our lives together seemed like blur, as if time had sped up, which I know is impossible, I looked into it mathematically, time can't go faster. Anyway… it just seemed that one minute, I am watching Amy rub lotion on her growing belly as she lays he head on my shoulder on our couch, the next minute, Nic is running around getting ready for gifted kindergarten. If the 3 terabytes of video and pictures on my external hard drive mean anything, I think I must have captured every moment, but I still think I missed something. Of course I didn't record the time _**after**_ Nic went to sleep, I was usually otherwise engaged. I thought having a baby would affect that aspect of our relationship that I …um.. had become accustomed to it, but in fact, it was better than ever so let's leave it at that.

Amy's career ever since moving from Boston had taken off like a rocket. Her work with Dr. Neumann had fast tracked her PhD which she received at the age of 21 and half. I had to remind her that it was my genius plan that had made it happen, but I also had to admit she helped.

I had expected the worst from her during the pregnancy. She always had a bit of a temper, and the flood of estrogen should have amplified it to danger levels. However, Amy was… beaming, pleasant and radiant, it was as if her body had been made for producing offspring. Her hair became as thick as a horse's tail; a compliment she did not appreciate by the way. The changes to her body were subtle in the beginning. Hardly anyone knew she was pregnant at the wedding, since she was so thin before. It was amazing watching her body turn into this womanly shape and frankly, I had a hard time keeping my hands off her. She was a little weepy during some TV shows, and her cravings for curry reached manic levels, but most of the time, I found that I was less in trouble than normal. In fact I wished she was pregnant all the time.

She handled everything with her usual grace, even meeting ol' Faizal that handsy donor again went swimmingly. Since I barely remembered that I punched out the masher upon our first meeting, I expected the worse. However once he saw her ring and her belly, he fully understood my anger. Though I think my growling may helped as well. Amy whispered to me that his smile was for congratulations, and not flirting , so I believed her.

It also helped that Amy couldn't stop talking about her brilliant husband, and I think Faizal thought her boasting was endearing. He wrote her a check on the spot for her research, even before she had her PhD. She was the darling of UCLA for years because she could always bring in the cash with just a blink of her beautiful green eyes and rapier wit.

Under Amy's tutelage, I learned a thing or two about dealing with the university administration and about donors, and soon I was rolling in research money as well. Although I must say her lesson on flirting with older women donors worked too well. Thank god for Leonard taking one for the team with Mrs. Lieberman.

Amy was amazing that first year balancing work and a new baby. I found living with her was an easy transition except for her poor towel folding skills, her insistence on watching old seventies sitcoms and her unnatural need for celebrating holidays. Christmas was overshadowed by the wedding, but the first Valentine's Day was a bust and I am still making up for it. I realized quickly, I may not need these silly holidays, but Amy loves them. I love her, so it's an easy replacement. Her birthday was spectacular until she had false labor and I rushed her to the hospital, but all it was, was cramps from the Asian Fusion restaurant I took her to. Word to the Wise: Never take restaurant advice from Raj.

Even the birth of Nikola didn't slow her down. It had been an easy birth, with no complications. I had nearly missed it since she insisted on telling me to get ice chips all the time. I guess that was better than hitting the floor and passing out, which happened shortly after the head crowned. My old TA Henry helped me that day, fanning me when I fainted. He was a good TA till MIT stole him back to work on cold… I mean… an energy project. Anyway, back to Amy. After my short bout with syncope, I woke up with a smiling Amy nursing our clean and happy son.

I thought I knew joy before, but it was nothing compared to seeing the love of your life holding your offspring. It took a few minutes to even process that where we were once two, now we were three. It seemed so foreign, yet so perfect. Amy was radiant, and I had never seen her shine more bright. She was brilliant and I will never forget that look.

The only look I did hate was the one of guilt she had every time she had to go to a conference. There were only two conferences, but she blew it out of proportion and thought she was abandoning the family. I did suggest that it was some postpartum thing, but she smacked me and told me to be more sensitive. I think I still have a bruise. She said she felt she was a terrible mother for leaving Nic. Though I assured her she was the best mother in the world, I did wonder if she worried about me as well since she stocked up the fridge like a bomb shelter before she left on any trip.

Needless to say, the baby was in good hands. That Baby Bjorn sling was my life line and Nic just accompanied me to work on days I did not teach. UCLA's day care was best in the county, but nothing compares to learning particle physics hanging from your daddy's chest. He spent his first 2 years strapped in that sling looking at White Boards with me, while solving the mysteries of the universe. When he called out one of my equations at the age of 2, I knew genius hadn't fallen far from the tree.

When Amy wasn't touring with the paper she and Neumann had written, she was doting on our little Homo Novus. She taught him her made up language, and how to hold a scalpel properly. That kid was cutting his own food with the skill of a surgeon at the age of 3. Of course, he was all over the apartment like a little monkey, and that displeased me to no end. Nic loved making battle robots with Howard and Leonard. He was always making ramps with my white boards and taking his tricycle on trick jumps off the landing that his randy "Uncle" Raj thought were cool. When Raj wasn't picking up women like a gigolo, he was playing with Nic. Despite his amorous ways with the ladies when he was drunk, he really is a great adoptive uncle.

Meeting the guys that first year of Nic's birth was a blessing and a curse. Amy encouraged me to have friends and insisted I spend my Wednesdays with the group I had met in the Caltech physics department. Amy was elated that I had stopped asking her to accompany me to the comic book store. The group of cohorts were hardly up to my caliber intellectually, but having some friends to kibitz about comic books and science fiction was a nice break, though I hardly needed it. Amy nearly had to force me out the door, but eventually it became routine. Uh… I think I finally understand her feelings of guilt. I felt the same leaving them at night. Boy, she is a smart woman.

Amy had her own little outings as well. She met up with some young Biology students who liked similar books to her and they formed a book club. One of them, Bernadette became fairly good friends with Amy and we introduced her to Howard as a social science experiment. Amy said, if those two could hit it off, there was hope for humanity. She was right, of course. After a few awkward dates and a courtship that lasted years, they were married. It was now just Raj and Leonard as the single men of the group. That would change later of course, when Penny moved in, and Leonard lost all cognitive functioning due to his blood rushing to genitals. At the time, however, Howard and I always bonded over being the only married guys by calling the other two, "Muggles" whenever they didn't understand women.

At the pool party, my keen eyes were watching our little offspring like a hawk. The water frightened me like none other. I refused to go into the pool, but Amy had no trouble swimming in that cesspool. My only solace was the view of her half naked body and imagining me showering with her later. The only trouble was her swim suit, which I insist to this day shows far too much of her posterior for public consumption. I caught Raj eyeing my Amy more than once, the cad. For goodness sake, I had my hands full watching the offspring. I didn't have time to keep watch on my woman too.

Nic was not too impressed with the pool, despite his constant buoyance experiments in the bath at home. However, the zip line that had been put up in the yard intrigued the little tike no end. He wanted to try it, and as a physicist, I thought he should. However, Amy refused saying he was far too young to be testing out gravitational acceleration, with or without a safety helmet. Eventually we all went into the house to eat and the cover was put on the pool which made me breathe a little easier. I felt we could relax and not worry. I was wrong.

It was around 3:17 PM, and I heard a scream that outclassed Bernadette's squeal by decibels. It came from my wife who was watching our son through the patio window. I saw all the blood drain from her face as if she had been gutted. As she dropped her glass and rushed out of the house. I barely saw what she was witnessing: Nic had reached the zip line by himself, tied the rope around his whole body, but had not put on the safety helmet and had jumped off the platform. Amy had had her eyes on him the whole time, but the little scamp was too quick for her. He had hit the tree on the other side with such force that his head had whiplashed back knocking him unconscious. By the time I saw him, Amy had reached him, so I was saved the horror of his small body hanging unmoving from the ropes. Amy was not.

It had taken less than 20 seconds to get to him. Amy rushed over and picked him up and releasing the tightly tied ropes around his neck and body. I was close behind, and by the time I reached her, she was frantic, pulling at the ropes and screaming for him to speak to her.

Seeing his near lifeless body, even for a moment burrowed into my psyche, however, thankfully it was short lived. After she had released all the rope, Nic was coughing but okay. He looked up at his mama with shiny blue eyes and asked to go again. He said he had to test the sine verses the mass. Amy just held him and wouldn't didn't let go.

It was only a small accident, nothing like what I had feared with that damn pool, which by the way, sprung a leak within an hour of us leaving and flooded the Wolowitz' yard. Amy insisted we go to the hospital and run every test they had including four brain scans that Amy supervised and told the idiot doctor how to properly attach electrodes. Nic was fine with just a few bruises on this face and arm and he was testing the doctor's knowledge of Latin within 30 minutes of arrival. Amy nearly chewed her lip off with worry. When she was in the waiting room, I could barely reach her, she was lost in thought with waves of anxiety flooding over her face.. Finally, the giggling of Nic from the room eased her, and she looked up to me with shinnying eyes, "NO MORE ZIP LINES."

"Yes, dear." Was all I could say.

Amy was shaking for weeks just from the image of him hanging against that tree. She insisted he sleep with us every night and even canceled a few appearances for the paper. Her night terrors occurred for days afterwards. I'd have to hold her every night, wiping sweat off her brow as she shook. Only Nic's little hand on her temple made her feel better.

Amy wanted to pull him out of day care, quit her job and home school him till college, maybe beyond. After a heated argument about mother henning our son, Amy finally calmed down. She was definitely not moved by my 'boys will be boys' argument, but the research I showed her on overprotective helicopter parenting did the trick.

"Sheldon It's just, that he means so much to me. He is part of me now. When I was pregnant, it felt like he and I exchanged spirits. I took a piece of him as much as he did of me. My entire identity is tied to him, wrapped around me like a thread. I can't imagine a life without him or you for that matter. I never knew how much joy a child could bring me. Each day gets better, not worse. Where are the days where I am supposed to regret having children? I have yet to feel them. I really do. Even with no sleep and lack of energy, I still enjoy each day."

"Well, that's because you live with me! I make life easier!"

"Come, on Sheldon, I'm being serious!" I hate it when she rolls her eyes like that, as if I don't notice. I was being serious. I know better than to cross her though, especially about children.… Children… Hmm. The accident with Nic made me realize how much he had added to my life. Right there sitting in my spot, holding my wife with one arm, and my sleeping son in another, I had a wave of contentment I had never known. I felt complete, as if this is how it's supposed to be. We had never discussed it, but I wondered then if we could have another child? Would Amy be willing to consider it?

"I'm serious too, Amy. We work well as a team, because we have outlined our expectations. You know what your duties are, and I know mine. And you know… with Nic ready to start that gifted school… There is some room in our schedule…"

I see her eye brow start to rise. She is intrigued, "Oh really? What do you suggest?"

"Well… we could start a new project. It would take extensive research and multiple trials… But we have done it before so I think we have the right skill set. Also, the result would be outstanding!"

"I am NOT going to convert that landing into a comic book haven, forget it! Maybe in one of your alternate universes that can happen, but not here pal! That stays as does my table!"

"NO! Not that, although that table is hideous and you know it. No, I mean… I propose a different project…" Maybe raising my brows will do the trick. Nope.. She still isn't getting it. "It will take long sessions…" Nope still clueless… "Around nine months…" There she is… She gets it now!

"You want to have another child?" There is that shocked look. That's a rarity.

"Yes." There I said it. Phew all the cards on the table.

"I do too."

Wow that was easy! I thought it would take weeks of hard negotiation to get her to say yes. I didn't have to worry about the negotiation tactics after all. Darn it, I was looking forward to the negotiations.

It took over a year of "sessions" for Amy to finally get pregnant again, but as they say practice makes perfect. We decided to have a laisse faire attitude about conception. If it happened, it happened. Though it was supposed ease the pressure, I could tell each day she didn't get a positive on those darn tests, she was getting more disappointed. Her mood was beginning to be foul and it was affecting her sleep.

One night, she didn't even enjoy her favorite things and I knew something had changed. All three of us were gathered around the TV watching a video that had been recommended by Leonard.

"You aren't enjoying the film, Amy? I thought seeing it was based in a zoo, you would like it. All the guys said this new movie Madascar was the one to see! "

"I do like it… I think the penguins are a lot like you and the guys. You are Kowalski, because he is the smartest. Leonard is the Skipper, because, well he is short and likes to tell everyone what to do. Raj is Private because he is love sick and Howard likes to blow things up, so he is Rico. Maybe Raj should be Rico, because he is silent… Hmm… unless he has a lady around and martini."

"But Amy! I'm the leader! I should be Skipper!"

"Yes, but Kowalski is the smart one. You have to choose, Sheldon, smart or in charge."

"Fine… Smart… and in charge! Kowalski really tells Skipper what to do."

"Of course he does, dear. Now, I think Nic is enjoying the movie as a good way to take a nap." Nic had fallen sleep in my arms. Amy rose off the couch to go the kitchen and she took the bowl with her. "I do like the film, Sheldon. But what I am not enjoying… is this onion dip..." Amy scrunched up her nose and threw the whole bowl in the garbage. Then she rushed to the bath room and threw it all up.

I looked down at my sleeping little guy and whispered to him, "You are going to have a sibling soon, my son." I kissed the top of his head, and put him to bed tucked safely in his Star War sheets. As I heard Amy vomiting in the bathroom, I thought I better get to the Indian Restaurant and stock up on Palak Paneer.

The next two months were rough on Amy. Her morning sickness was so merciless, it even concerned the doctor. She would get sharp pains on her right side, and couldn't keep anything down. It was not the best of times for my mother to visit, but she insisted on seeing Nic and giving Amy a break. She arrived and spoiled her grandchild with a trip to Disneyland on the first day. I told her he was too young for Space Mountain, but she said they'd do a lot of praying to Jesus before they got on the ride. Nic piped in with this comment:

"I understand who God is supposed to be, Grandma. But who is this Jesus person? He is like a cool god who fights crime and brings treats to weddings?"

The look on my mother's face could melt lead, "I thought you told me you took him to church! I got pictures of you all going! You promised Shelly!"

"WE DID! I didn't say how long we stayed… Nic gets bored and starts translating all the hymns into Latin and Amy's made up language. When he started singing Amazing Grace in Op language, we had to leave. Well… We were asked to leave, let's say that…"

My mother threw up her hands to Jesus, "Oh sweet lord. Now you lookie here. This boy will know Jesus by the time I am through with him."

"I may know him, granny, but if he doesn't fight crime, that's pretty lame." I love my son so much. Mom was less than pleased and her laser eyes said it all. That and her shrill voice yelling at me.

"I blame you for this. Amy would never have put this comic book mumbo jumbo in his head. Now come on now Nic. Let's go see the Mouse and maybe stop off at a church on the way home and say hi to Jesus."

Nic asked innocently, "Are we going to Gethesamne gardens too? I heard he lived there!"

"Oh sweet lord!" Momma grabbed Nic's hand, I gave my son a wink and they left finally. I was so glad Amy hadn't heard a thing. She was not opposed to deity, but she wanted Nic to make up his own mind later in life. Amy heard nothing, since she had went down for a nap. It was the only time she wasn't in pain. I had hoped to take her to the doctor today, but she just wanted to rest.

As I watched her sleep, brushing the hair off her face, I feared this is what she must have put up with for the first three months of Nic's pregnancy, but then she had been alone. Though she had never said that the first trimester had been rough, but now I wondered if she had hidden it from me as she had done the pregnancy itself. She didn't want to tell me fearing it would upset my career. If she only did, I could have… I don't know. I just wanted to do something. Guilt. Terrible guilt, like I had never known before, flooded over me. I did this to her when I insisted on having another child. She stirred and started to wince. Even while she slept she was not well.

"Hello, handsome… Did the mother leave with our offspring?" she smiled as she woke up fully.

"Yes, beautiful, she did. Don't be surprised if he comes back quoting scripture."

"Don't be surprised if SHE comes back quoting the Dirac equation." She gave me that smile of pride she had for our child, for us. But at that moment it was forced.

I hated seeing her in pain, it killed me a little and I still have yet to recover. Even as she spoke, it was through thin lips and narrowed eyes wincing, holding back agony. She tried to stand, but she moaned.

"Are you okay? This isn't right. Is this how it was at Harvard? This can't be right."

She didn't answer. The groan grew louder and the grasped her side again. That was it, I had had enough. She needed help, this was not normal.

"Amy… Amy… I am going to get the car. We are going to the doctor, right now." I got up to get her clothes and she tried to stand again. As her little brittle ankles held her up, a stream of blood came pouring down her leg and she buckled over in pain. I didn't know what to do. I ignored the blood, picked her up in my arms, and rushed her to the elevator. The policeman next door heard her cries, and called his friends for an escort. Even though he was wearing a dress and his best heels, he still drove us. Thank goodness for him, because between the blood, the panic, and Amy's cries, I don't think I would have been able to drive. We were at Huntington Memorial in minutes.

The ER rushed her in and the flurry of activity started. Codes called, IV's put in, tubes and gadgets all over Amy while I stood and watched from the window, helpless. They wouldn't let me in the room, but I could hear cries from behind the door. Finally, she was silent. That was the worst sound. The sound of nothing coming from my wife's lips.

The nurse tried to hold me back, but I pushed through. I had to see her. She was lying on the table with a mask on her face. The doctor yelled for me to get out, but I only heard the breathing tube working for her. It took three big nurses to remove me from that room, but finally they took me to the waiting room. They said they would know something soon.

Soon is a relative term in healthcare. Soon can be minutes or hours, but neither time unit matters, it feels the same. Each tick is a needle in your heart. I texted Mom and Leonard and sat back and waited. Every time a nurse hurried out, another rushed in.

Leonard dashed over to be by my side, as soon as he could. He just sat with me while I stared off at the door behind which my whole heart lay in agony. He tried to speak to me, but I didn't hear a word. I was combing through my memories of Amy and I. Leonard just sat next to me, quietly. I think he brought me a hot beverage. I'm not sure.

I asked one of the nurses if there was any news. She said it was too early to tell. Amy had lost a lot of blood and her blood pressure had dropped dangerous low. She was critical. The nurse rushed off when another chorus of bells emanated from Amy's room.

I sat wringing my hands and thinking. I thought back to the week before she moved to Pasadena. I had flown back to help her pack and say good bye to Harvard. That last night in the dorm room where it had all started was heavenly. It was another instance where it felt that time had stopped. We were together for hours, it was as if it was the first time we had touched each other. The only way we knew time had passed was when the sun came streaming through the curtains again.

Another occurrence that time ignored the laws of physics was when I watched her walk down the aisle of the church to become my wife. I had wanted her to have a wedding so I that wouldn't have to have any grief about it later, but the truth is, I am so glad I did. As it turned out, Amy also wanted a wedding, and she knew exactly what she wanted. Her mother insisted on a church wedding, and since she paid for all of it, who were we to complain. Besides, my mother was thrilled to say the least. Her family was enormous, and between mine and hers, we filled up that church on short notice. We didn't need a church wedding, but Amy's mother and mine were adamant. We were too much in love to argue. Amy made me take out the section of our vows about tuition breaks and the like. She said, that was private. She is so smart about those things.

We kept hearing they couldn't believe we would EVER get married. It was as if people could not imagine either of us marrying anyone. I could not understand their surprise, for me it was just the normal progression of events.

Seeing her walk toward me with that beautiful toothy grin, I couldn't imagine not marrying her. At that moment watching her walk toward to me, to join with me, every second I had spent with her flashed before me like a slide show. I remembered every fight over minutia, every time she challenged me or we made love. I just felt…honored and overwhelmed. This woman could have anyone, and she chose me. I could barely say the words yes, let alone any vows. I just wanted to see her like that forever.

The nurses rushed in and out of the room and with them a large cart with instruments on it. Time stopped again.

What if she is not okay? What if that smile she had given me when she woke up was my last? That excruciating cry was the last thing I would hear from her lips. How would I be able to go on without her? How could I breathe? All the things I should have said that I didn't say. All the things I wanted to do with her. Her Nobel! We were going to start national anthem sing along night with the family with Flags. All our plans, our hopes, my hopes were on that table.

She is everything. She is the bedrock of our family. She holds me up when I want to crumble, and lifts me higher than I thought I could ever go. She interprets the world for me. Without her, I can't navigate social interactions, I can't read people. I can do anything when she is by my side. I can teach, I can speak to bosses without insult. I can find friends and appreciate them. If she is gone, there will be nothing I can do.

I just wanted the little moments back. Just the little ones. Like the looks she gives me when I don't get her urban slang. Our water balloon fights. The arguments over dining tables, wrong soy sauce, and folding the towels that ends up with us in bed, naked. I want back those little kisses she gives me when she hands me dinner. Just one, a slight touch, on my temple, each time. I love the way she always gets on the ground to play with Nic, and work on a problem. She never gives him the answer, she lets him find it. Who will find our answers now? What will I tell Nic if his mother…

Just then, I felt a pair of small hands on mine. I looked up and saw those shining eyes at me again. For a moment, I thought it was Amy, smiling at me, but it was Nic. Their eyes are the same, but for the color. A little piece of me, and Amy every time I look in those eyes. I needed to see them at that moment more than anything.

Momma had brought him back from Disneyland. I picked him up and held onto him as he snuggled on my lap. I hoped he didn't see me cry, but I knew it was impossible not to.

"Dada…Where's mommy?"

I didn't want to tell him. I didn't want to speak. I knew he would just keep asking.

"She's sick, son. The doctors are working on her."

"Are you sick too Dada?" I love his little hands. He pats my temple and his little fingers rub my head.

"No, baby. Not… no… I'll be okay." I let out a big sigh, "Everything will be okay. Don't you fret."

"Okay…"

Honesty. That was what Amy taught me to tell the little one. I believed it too. I should have told him that his mother was not okay, and we could lose her, but I couldn't. Not yet. I was selfish, and just wanted to hold him for little while without seeing the joy of life draining out of him. I know the pain of losing someone at a young age. You can't process it. You can't understand it. It makes you bitter, and angry at the world. I didn't want to see that on my boy's face, not yet. I hoped Amy wouldn't be mad for my lying, but then I knew she that wouldn't. She always supported me, even if I was wrong.

Before I could think anymore, the nurse walked over and told me the doctor wanted to see me, alone. I begrudgingly handed Nic over to momma, and slowly followed the nurse to another room. I didn't sit, I couldn't. I had to hear it standing up. Bad Idea.

"Dr. Cooper. I am afraid I have some bad news.."

That's when I collapsed. I think I hit the table, but I am not sure. The next thing I remembered was a hand again holding mine, it was Amy's. I thought it was a dream, but the feel of her hand was undeniable: Soft, warm, and strong, even in her state. She was lying in the bed next to my chair. I had passed out, and the nurses had put me next to Amy so I would wake up near her.

"AMY! You're okay!"

She let out a sigh, "Yes. I am."

All the air rushed out of me, it was as if I had been holding onto every breath since I had known her. I blew out every molecule and just shook. I wasn't even sad, just overwhelmed. The thought of losing her had been too much to bear, even for those few hours. She held onto me, crying as well, though hers was a soft cry, not shaking with emotion like mine. "Amy… what happened? Did the doctor speak to you? I was um… less than able to hear what she had to say…"

She gave me a smile, and didn't mention my passing out. She's kind that way.

"I heard it for both of us, Sheldon. I'm okay, a little sore, but I will recover. However Sheldon, I have to tell you. I lost the baby." Her voice quaked. Like bits of joy were ripped from her psyche. It was bitterly disappointing, but I had expected it after the events of the day.

"Oh, Amy, I guessed that, I'm… sorry… sorry I ever persuaded you to into try for another child. Please forgive me."

"Sheldon, there wasn't much persuading, as I recall. It was a tubal pregnancy, and it can happen to anyone! It was never meant to be. I was only 2 months, so I didn't have a chance to get to hopeful."

"I know you were Amy."

Amy just smiled that smile I know so well. The one she gives me when she lies a little. She is as bad a liar as I am.

Amy held my hand tighter, "I just hope… I can still have children. The doctor says I should be fine, but…"

I was shocked. She still wanted to have more children? I couldn't go through this again, no way. "AMY! I can't risk you! NO! No more! Just be happy with what we have!"

"I am happy! More than I have ever been!"

"So why do you want more? It's too much…" She looked sad. I hate that look. Please don't be sad, my Amy. "Amy, when you were speaking about Nic, you said: _My entire identity is tied to him, wrapped around me like a thread. I can't imagine a life with him or you for that matter."_ That's how I feel about you, Amy. I felt that string that ties us, bounds us together… I felt it strain and pull today to a tensile strength that it almost snapped. I can't feel that again. I can't risk not having you in my life! There would be none."

There is that hand. She puts in on my face, and taps my temple. I melt into it, like a glove. "Well… We can discuss it later. Right now, I want to see my little guy. You didn't tell him I was at death's door, did you, Sheldon?"

I hope she won't be cross, "I couldn't Amy. I know you want me to be honest, but.. I just… I'm sorry."

"God, you are so smart. Thank you!" She pulls me into one of those hugs I love so much. I love her voice on my ear, "I love you."

"I love you too, Amy… I'm sorry about the child." I hadn't yet vocalized to Amy what that loss meant, but the tear down my cheek told her enough.

"Sheldon, it wasn't a child yet. It was a possibility. That is still there, that potential. I don't want that taken away from me, yet. Sheldon. Not yet."

"Okay… my Amy… Not yet." Even in grief, she was still strong. I had to be strong for her as well. She could turn grief into hope with only a few words.

That's when I knew. She is my translator for life and love.

* * *

 **Here is the recap:  
** **  
** **Sheldon One: He is the Sheldon from the Show. This story takes place minutes after the Skype call ended from the Finale.**

 **Sheldon Two: He is from my Big Reversal Theory: The Vixen in 4B story. You just found out he proposed in 2010. He is marred in 2011.**

 **Sheldon Three: He is the Sheldon who had a one night stand with Amy after meeting her in the theater.**

 **Sheldon Four: He broke up with Amy over the Table incident in Season 7 and hasn't been with her since.**

 **Sheldon Five: This is the Sheldon from my Caustic Cohabitation Conundrum. He is the one who met Amy when he was 21 at Harvard. This is 15 years later and he is a proud parent.**

 **Sheldon Six: Non-believer. His story will unfold later, but he is unlike them all.**

* * *

 **Thanks for your support folks. I have been a little shaken this week, but I am working on getting my groove back. Its a long road, but you guys are with me along the way. Thanks.**


	10. Chapter 10 Fixin the Fear

**Six Sheldons:**

 **Chapter 10 Fixin' the Fear.**

 **Thanks so much to Shamy4evr for being the best Beta.**

* * *

 **Here is the recap:**

 **Sheldon One: He is the Sheldon from the Show. This story takes place minutes after the Skype call ended from the Finale.**

 **Sheldon Two: He is from my Big Reversal Theory: The Vixen in 4B story. You just found out he proposed in 2010. He is marred in 2011.**

 **Sheldon Three: He is the Sheldon who had a one night stand with Amy after meeting her in the theater.**

 **Sheldon Four: He broke up with Amy over the Table incident in Season 7 and hasn't been with her since.**

 **Sheldon Five: This is the Sheldon from my Caustic Cohabitation Conundrum. He is the one who met Amy when he was 21 at Harvard. This is 15 years later and he is a proud parent.**

 **Sheldon Six: Non-believer. His story will unfold later, but he is unlike them all.**

* * *

Sheldon Five sat back in the spot. He smiled at the group and announced, "You know what? That vixen talked me into having another child after all! Marie came around the time Penny moved in next door."

"Oh dear lord, you had to deal with Penny as well?" Sheldon Three rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, good point, I thought since you didn't have Leonard as a roommate, you would have been saved from that particular hell!" Sheldon Two shook his head in sympathy but he was cut off by an unlikely source.

Sheldon Four blurted out to the room, silencing them, "Who gives a damn about stupid Penny! This guy almost lost his wife!"

The rest of the room was silent, but Sheldon Four was enraged by Five's seemingly callous actions, "You let her have a child? After you almost lost her having the last one? Are you insane? How could risk her like that? FOR WHAT? Another offspring? How selfish are you? Needing to spread your seed like a prized bull!"

Sheldon Five was about say something, but Sheldon Six cut him off, "Hey! You better back off." Sheldon Six jumped off his desk chair to pounce on Sheldon Four.

Sheldon Four stood up to face Sheldon Six. He wasn't afraid of him, or anyone at that moment. Just the thought of what Sheldon Five had gone through and what it must have meant to him, "NO! I will not back off! He almost lost her! She could have died! Gone! Forever. No more Amy, and he was okay with that?" He yelled at Sheldon Six but then turned to Sheldon Five to continue his rant.

"How can you possibly be okay with that scenario? Does she know **anything** about how you feel about her? I mean how you really feel, not just this day to day crap about towels and such nonsense. Does she know how much she means to you? You could have lost her. I just… lost…" Sheldon Four was scrambling for words as he paced around and finally dropped onto the arm couch next to Five as if his body was of made of molten lead. Each of the other Sheldon's were silent as he gathered his thoughts.

Sheldon Five sat up and placed his elbows on his knees while gathering all the patience he could muster, "Look, number Four, I can assure you that she and I were more careful than necessary when she wanted to try again. The last time we were reckless, and didn't do the tests we should have. We thought that since Amy's first pregnancy was such an easy one, we had nothing to worry about. That's a lesson for you. This time, oh lordy…that woman had more doctor visits than an intern. I made her go to weekly prenatal visits and checked her blood and oxygen levels every day. She was monitored around the clock, by not only me, but my mother who insisted on living with us for those nine months."

Sheldon Four eked out, "Mom came?"

"Of course, you know how she is. Missy too for a short spell."

"Did Missy have a baby?" Sheldon Six finally asked a personal question that did not go unnoticed by the group.

"Yes as a matter of fact. Does your Missy have a baby?"

"Yeah… Anyway… go on number Five." Sheldon Six moved back to his chair and turning it around held onto the back with a tight grip. With his back to the group he listened as their conversation continued, but his eyes were focused on the floor.

Sheldon Five cleared his throat, "By the end of the pregnancy, the only thing that Amy had regretted was our constant hen pecking and fussing over her. Your story, number Two was an eye opener."

"Yours was for me as well." Sheldon Two swallowed and offered a small smile to Sheldon Five.

Sheldon Five smiled back, "Marie's birth was over in less than two hours and Amy was back to work after the six week leave. It was Marie who was strapped to Amy in that Bjorn sling this time. They are inseparable and Nic loves his sister. Amy was fine, no beyond fine, better than ever..." Sheldon Five scooted closer to Sheldon Four to catch his gaze, "The best part is, she is happier than I have ever known her. That failed pregnancy did take the wind out of her sails and she was broken for a long time, afraid that she had lost her chance for another child. It was crippling her."

"I bet you were scared when… um your Amy…" Sheldon Two looked worried himself. He had a wife at home, pregnant and if anything happened to her, he knew he would diminish into oblivion. The thought make him quake with fear.

"Yes. I was. Beyond any fear I've ever known." Sheldon Five looked back at Sheldon Four, "I know you have it too, right now. I know the look. But guess what?"

Sheldon Four looked up, and asked meekly, "What?"

"Your Amy… she is still there. She's not gone anywhere. I bet she wants to know what you think of her, don't you think? I can see it on your face. You miss her."

Sheldon Four mumbled and looked down, "Maybe a little."

"Maybe a lot. Amy would want to know she is in your thoughts and always has been. Even if it's for a moment. Even if she has moved on. I bet she would want to know that."

"Maybe… I don't know. Maybe…" Sheldon Four swallowed hard and took in a deep breath. "Sorry I blew up. I was just scared."

"I know..." Sheldon Five smiled, "...too well."

Sheldon Four let out a large sigh, "Um… then you had two babies, Penny and your little one…" Sheldon Four was trying to change the subject and Sheldon Five obliged.

"Yea, she whines for milk worse than a baby, huh?" Sheldon Four chuckled at Five's joke.

Sheldon Three was relieved for the happy ending, "So your little girl came along, and Amy was okay?"

"Yes! Marie is amazing and so different than Nic. It's like she's a communication genius. She can even talk to Penny who dotes on her like crazy. They are always shopping and doing girly things. I don't get it, but something about One Direction or some mapping program. I am not sure…" Sheldon Five could never understand the things his girl said. It was like she had her own language, and in fact, she did. Just like her mother.

The tension was cut in the room, and Sheldon Six's shoulders seemed to relax and he sat back down in the desk chair. Sheldon Five and Four were next to each other sharing a grin.

"Penny as a baby sitter?" Sheldon Two laughed, "I can see Leonard, but not Penny."

Sheldon Five put away his fatherly tone, and returned to his jovial self, "Oh yeah, it was amazing how much free babysitting I got outta Leonard when Penny moved in. Those two have been on again off again for years since, when was that… oh yeah September 2007. Marie was born November that year. Penny and Amy have been good friends, but we still miss Rodger the cop. It was nice having the authorities next door in case it got too crazy with our blond neighbor upstairs in 5A."

"I had a Rodger as a neighbor too…" Sheldon Two and Three droned on and on about Rodger the transvestite cop, loose morals Penny's milk stealing antics and the escapades of love sick Leonard and the gang. Sheldon One had tuned it all out. He was frozen in his spot on the couch, neither speaking nor looking at the group.

What would he do if he lost Amy? All this talk of babies and marriage seemed so out of reach, so foreign. Even though he was intending to ask to her to marry him and they had briefly spoken of Martian children, it had never really sunk in what that would mean. She would be his wife, bound together in sickness and in health. Mars babies were great to postulate about, but what if something happened to Amy?

The medical problems that number Five's Amy had may have been be just a fluke, but something else could happen to his Amy. As number Four had asked, what does his Amy know of his true feelings. Does she know that they were so deep he is lost in them? Amy was smart, surely she HAD to know how he felt about her even without a word. If she was number Five's translator, wouldn't his Amy be that for him? She had to know his heart! She was the only one who had ever reached it.

The group started to get noisy and broke Sheldon's One's worry soaked concentration.

Sheldon Three who had been standing next to Sheldon Four was now leaning over the back couch in tears from laughter, "So… wait…They never knew you were just doing Hackey Sack every afternoon? You did what when you found out they were recording you?"

"I made a computer program that simulated an interdimensional portal. It was about the size of a record player. Then I put my head into to the green screen and pulled out an alien on my face. Howard and Raj were screaming so loud I could hear it down the hall! HAHA! They never tried to trick me again!" Sheldon Four explained as he nearly collapsed with a fit of the giggles. It was the first time the group had heard him laugh so freely. He was getting some of his good mood back if only for a short time.

Sheldon Five was laughing as well, "Interdimensional portals are MUCH bigger than that! HA HA! I can't believe they fell for it! What a bunch of noobs. Even in your universe those two are still so gullible…"

Sheldon One was now the one to make a scene, like a diva, "THAT'S ENOUGH! WE are the greatest minds in our universes and we have been sitting around talking about NOTHING for hours! Who cares what Wolowitz and Raj think! Or Leonard and Penny! I've spent years listening to their banter and all I've ever learned was that the Kardashians are not real celebrities!"

"Who are the Kardashians? Some Evil science cabal hell bent on destroying the world with robot minions ready to harvest our DNA?" Sheldon Three asked innocently but the group nearly hit him with a pillow, "What! Don't look at me like that! I never heard of them!"

"EXACTLY! WHO CARES! Like these conversations we have been spinning our wheels bantering back and forth about… nothing! All this talk of babies, and marriage and coitus! None of it matters! It is only the science that matters and the only way we will ever get that Nobel!"

Sheldon Two raised his hand and pointed behind them to the Bronze Medallion on the shelf, "Um… He already has it, number One."

"Well, the rest of us need to catch up! Not all of us were lucky enough to have robot minions!"

Sheldon Six scoffed, "If you think the reason he has his Nobel first is because of robots, well damn, boy, you will never get one!"

Sheldon One sneered, "I will get one! It just a matter of time. We all could have one if we just worked on our theories together."

"You mean copy the good ideas from the star pupil. I went to high school, too. I know how that works. No thank you!" Sheldon Five turned from number One and snorted in the air.

Sheldon One wasn't done raving, "We could have been working out the mysteries of Dark matter, or proving String theory in our short time together."

"We agreed no science talk! The Prime Directive, remember?"

Sheldon One yelled out, "Screw the Prime Directive!"

The entire room gasped and Sheldon Five dropped his marker again. Finally, after the silence became too much to bear, Sheldon Three said something.

"You don't screw the Prime Directive, Pal! That's blasphemy!" He had moved back from behind the couch. Standing next to Sheldon Four, he glared at Sheldon One and held his chest as if he had been shot with an elephant gun of sacrilege.

Sheldon One crossed his arms, and lifted his head high, "Well… Better than … Babies… or that other thing…" He looked downed for a moment and then said, "Should we solve String Theory?"

Sheldon Five snorted, "String theory? Done…I did that already. On my own, without you and your so called brilliant mind! What else you got? Because so far, I'm bored with you."

"Bored with me? How can you say that? I'm you!" Sheldon One was outraged.

Sheldon Five gave out a smug snort and crossed his arms, "Ha! Not in a million years are you anywhere close to me, don't flatter yourself. How long have you been trying to work on your theory? Years? Well, I have spent those same years being loved and supported. THAT is why I **solved** String Theory, NOT ROBOTS! That is why I can work on Dark Matter while clutching my one Nobel with an open hand waiting for the next! "

Sheldon Three piped in, "Science is easy. For us anyway. Solving the mysteries of a woman… Well… They need to give out Nobels for that!"

"Here! Here!" The rest of the group chanted, but Sheldon One was still brooding with boiling rage wrought by fear.

Sheldon Five brushed off number One's dirty looks. "Don't you give me that! I know exactly why you are suddenly all "Mr. Science."

Sheldon One sneered back, "That's DR. Science."

"More Like Dr. Denial! You heard my story, and the thought of losing your Amy, just the hint of it, got you all scared, just like Four, but he is man enough to admit it. You're scared! Well good! You need to be scared, mister! Amy Farrah Fowler is precious. Almost losing her nearly destroyed me. I think it would cripple you, and I don't say that with glee, my friend. I really don't." Sheldon Five softened his tone.

Sheldon One said nothing. Yes, he admitted it to himself, it was fear. He couldn't imagine losing her. It was an impossibility. It would never happen. EVER, he reasoned, he hoped.

Sheldon Five noticed Sheldon One's frown, and said to lighten the mood, "Look, your Amy is not going anywhere, well unless you let her go like an idiot after this stupid 'step back' you made her ask for by being a bone head."

"HERE HERE!" The crowd cheered, except Sheldon One who looked dismayed.

"SHE CALLED FOR THE STUPID STEP BACK! She just needs time to get her head on straight and realize what a great catch I am! That's all!" Sheldon One slumped back. "All this talk of babies is a waste of time! I can't even get in the same room with her now, let alone procreate!

Sheldon Six growled from across the room, "And whose fault is that, pal?"

Sheldon Two nodded in an agreement and looked to Sheldon One with some sympathy, "Look, you wasted enough time with your Amy. Don't waste a second more. My advice? Just go to her, tell her you love her more than anything and you finally, after years of doing the opposite, realized you should appreciate her. Like… as soon as you get back."

"Bad idea." Sheldon Five crossed his arms, and sat back.

"How so?" Sheldon Three thought it was a great idea. Direct and to the point, that was the best way to win her heart, or long lectures on interstate system and the history of the nutmeg trade. His Amy practically swooned.

Sheldon Five shook his head, "She wanted a break! Give her some time, or she'll be madder than a hornet. You don't push Amy Farrah Fowler, let me tell you! She is scary when she's mad."

Though Sheldon Five was adamant, the rest of the group was not too sure. "I tried to push her NOT to have children, and I still have scars. You guys know, when she gets angry, it worse than the Hulk except she doesnt turn green, but red. Her face puffs up more than her avocado allergy attacks."

Sheldon Three looked horrified, "AMY'S ALLERGIC TO AVOCADOS? God, this tubal thing and now this! I have to watch her!" Sheldon Three had not known Amy long enough to know every thing about her. He wondered what other key aspects of her medical history he was missing.

Sheldon Five brushed off Three's worries, "Look, just keep an epi pen, no crazy Asian Mexican fusion restaurants that Raj recommends, and if she gets pregnant, get her checked. End of story. Don't worry!"

Sheldon Three let out a relieved sigh, He decided there and then to insist Amy run a full physical when he returned. She will be thrilled he would care so much to demand a medical release form. He couldn't wait to tell her.

However, Sheldon One was still balking at the notion of children, "Doesn't matter anyway. This talk of my progeny is waste of time for me!"

"It's not all about you, number One. Besides, all this talk for the last few hours has not been a waste, it's been eye opening. I can see just how lucky I am! And I don't even believe in luck! AMAZING!" Sheldon Five was elated as was Sheldon Two.

Sheldon Two stood up stretched, "Yep… he's right. Amy is the key. Look at this room full of brilliant minded men that all chose **this** particular woman to be their mate. We did that! ALL OF US. We are the best minds in a century, but do we need a woman, even one as brilliant as Amy Farrah Fowler? Let's take a poll, shall we. How many of us are close to a Nobel or already have one?"

Sheldon Two, Three and Five raised their hands.

"Now, how many of us are with Amy, either married or going to be married?"

The same 3 men raised their hands, as did Sheldon One. But before he could get it too far, Sheldon Six snapped at him from across the room, "Nice try, Mr. 'stupid step back'. Put that damn hand down."

Sheldon One pouted, "Fine… Grumpy…"

Sheldon Two smugly smiled, "Well well well. Look at that. In all the universes that could be possible, all the alternate dimensions, Amy is there." Sheldon Two noticed Sheldon Six looking away, "Hey mumbles, did your Amy help you?"

Sheldon Six leered at him, "None of your damn business."

Sheldon Three gave a worried scowl and whispered to Number Four, "Oh no… Maybe his Amy left him too! Like clueless number One!"

Sheldon Four studied Sheldon Six and whispered back, "Nah...He's too cocky and um… healthy looking to have lost his Amy. I know…"

Sheldon Two talked over the whispering Sheldons and continued to state his point to Sheldon One "Now, tell me again how all this talk of Amy is bad for science. Sounds like to me, that she is essential. I'll tell ya what, I am so glad I married her. The pressure… It's all gone! None of it. Work just flows from my hand like in streams. I have so many ideas I can't keep up. Babies? Well, I don't know yet, but from the look on number Five here, it seems that helps too. Coitus? Just look at Number Three here. He just met her, and already he is getting somewhere with his theories. I'm not saying having your endocrine system flooded with hormones on a daily basis leads to greater brain function in the frontal lobe, but…"

Sheldon Three chimed in, "I am! As soon as I get back with Amy. I'll prove it too! Over and over again! So there!"

Sheldon Two rolled his eyes, "Down boy. From what I see, we are all better." Sheldon Two looked over to Sheldon Six and asked loudly, "Though honestly, I have no idea what is going on with husky boy back there. You gonna tell us your story or not, muscles?"

" **Not** …" Sheldon Six glared at him then mumbled, "We should have just gone with stupid nick names."

Sheldon Two turned back to Sheldon's One and Four "Well, we will never know about him, but looking at you two… sounds like you just need to get laid and get off your high horse."

Sheldon Four was for once, silent. Sheldon One nearly fanned himself, "Oh my word! Such saucy talk from my own mouth!"

Sheldon Two blushed up like a tomato, and raised his hands in surrender. "I know… Too much time with Penny, forgive me… But the conclusion stands. You are just afraid because it is an unknown. Believe me, as soon as coitus is "known" you'll be fine. Don't worry. I promise it will be okay and you won't lose yourself."

"It will be better than fine. So good… let me tell you…" Sheldon Three's dreamy rant was cut off.

Sheldon Two snorted contumely, "Okay, number Three, they **get** it. Keep it in your pants." Sheldon Two bellowed out to the group. "Okay, Congress of Sheldons. Let's do some good for the sake of humanity and my own sanity for the rest of the evening! So, to fix number One's situation…. He needs to admit his feelings that he wants Amy and finally act on them…"

"Here here!" Everyone cheered, even Sheldon Four which garnered a raise of eye brows from Sheldon Three next to him. Sheldon Four shrugged his shoulders.

"He needs to go to Amy, and tell her that he promises he will stop being a pompous ass and consider her feelings for once."

"Here here!" The group cheered. Sheldon One was confused, but taking mental notes as best he could.

Sheldon Five added, "AFTER you give her some time."

Sheldon Three added, "Yeah… like a few hours should do it." Sheldon Five shook his head. _They will never learn_ , he thought.

Sheldon Five added to the list, "He needs to realize his relationship with Amy is unique from other relationships in the group. However, that doesn't mean Amy's doesn't need little reassurances of his love for her."

Sheldon Two looked over to Sheldon Five with a furrowed brow, "Really?"

"YES, number Two! You know that, or ya better by now!" Sheldon Five drew in a long sigh and just looked dead pan.

Sheldon Three wobbled his head in agreement. "Yeah… After 15 years, he should know. HERE HERE!"

Sheldon Two turned back to Sheldon One, "Most of all, I think we all know after the stories we have all told… Appreciate how special and wonderful she is and no matter what has happened…" Sheldon Two looked at Sheldon Four and lowered his voice, "Or what we have done… we need to be with her. No matter what."

Sheldon Four let the side of his mouth curl up in an almost smile, "Here… Here."

Sheldon Two smiled back, "Now that is all sorted… on to other important topics!" Sheldon Two plopped back into the beige chair and leaned toward Sheldon Three who was still standing by Sheldon Four, "Like.. Number Three… What happened with Firefly season two!?"

The whole room jumped up and leaned in to hear the tale like children gathering around Father Christmas. All listened to the adventures of the show, all except Number Six who propped back and crossed his arms, with a sullen scowl.

For over an hour they had volleyed their ego's back and forth, each one taking a swing at the other, with no one realizing what they were fighting about or why. Who had the best life? Who was the best Sheldon Cooper? They even fought about which one of their Leonard's was more their own personal minion than the other. The whole grandiose sense of importance and ego driven fantasy was running its course in Sheldon Six's mind. He had seen enough narcissism for any universe and knew how much one's selfish ways could ruin lives. _When would this dream ever end_ , he groused.

 _Tell his tale they asked? HA! Like they would care._ They would just offer empty platitudes and pity filled looks enough to make a funeral director envious. It was Sheldon Six who had pity now. Pity for the group of callous egomaniacs who didn't know a good thing or how to appreciate it. They said appreciate her, but they were all talk in the end. His pity was morphing to disgust as the seconds ticked by.

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 **A/N: Hello folks. I wanted to thank you all for your lovely reviews and support. I have been overwhelmed by your reactions to this story. Thanks so much.**

 **Next up: Sheldon Six's back story. Dun dun dun. What do you think is up with him?**


	11. Chapter 11: Sheldon Six's Taste of Joy

**Six Sheldon's**

 **Chapter 11: Sheldon Six's Taste of Joy**

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 **Thanks so much to Shamy4evr for being the best Beta even with last minute edits.**

 **I also want to say thank you to Chaliceinnana for her help with plot points. She is amazing folks.**

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Sheldon Six looked around the group of his weaker replicas with a raging envy he hadn't felt in years. They had so much, and yet they still complained and bitched and moaned. They all had something petty they groused about like bitter old hens. With the exception of number Four, who was an idiot, they had it all. Friends and a woman who loved them, even genius kids; everything that Sheldon wished he had.

Since before the age of 16, Caltech had wanted him for his work with Loop Quantum gravity theory. He had been fascinated with String Theory, which posits for multiverses ever since he had been hit in the face with a book at the age of 10. His mother had encouraged him to pursue his passions, but after she died, his father had forced him to go Rice University in Houston and nowhere else, no matter how much the powers that be at Caltech had begged. The only physics researched at Rice at the time was the more accepted Loop Quantum Theory and they did not have a string theorist on campus, unlike Caltech. His taste for risk was washed out of his mouth along with his smile at the age of 11 and he did what his Daddy told him to do.

For a short while following Mary's death, George Sr. had stopped drinking and tried to be a good father, but his idea of child rearing was in stark comparison to Mary Cooper's ways. He used to have patience with Sheldon, telling Mary they had to take his time with him. After her death, he felt it was his responsibility to make him a man. Long weekends of hunting, boxing matches, and motorcycle lessons were followed by hours of exercise. Sheldon barely had time to study during the weekend or do any of the things he used to enjoy and he had no love for his new hobbies. He kept his detached blank stare and just did what he was told to get it over as quickly as possible.

He had been fortunate to get a dorm at the age of 16 thanks to his Meemaw. Before that, his father had driven him back and forth from college to Galveston each day. Unfortunately his father had returned to his former habits and was often late getting out of bed following a long night of drinking. Though Sheldon cared little what his father did, being late for class drove him crazy. One time, Sheldon even tried to ride his motorcycle to college, but the crowded freeway proved to be too much. He therefore had to coordinate his schedule to take classes to accommodate his father's work and drinking habits, rather than the classes he wanted to take.

It was not until his father had failed to pick him up for 4 days running, did his Meemaw convince Daddy Cooper to let Sheldon live on campus. She had finally picked him up herself in her broken down Oldsmobile late one Sunday night when Sheldon called asking her to bring him some cookies, a change of clothes, and maybe a blanket. The conversation Meemaw had with Sheldon's father was not pleasant to say the least. Sheldon had spent those four days in the library, eating dinner out of the vending machines and sleeping in the botany section, since no one went there. Those 4 days had been the best he had spent at Rice.

Meemaw had tried the best she could to defend Sheldon against his father's strict discipline. If she had been George Sr.'s mother he might have listened, but she was just the mother in law. Sheldon's father ignored her pleas by staying in a drunken haze and keeping her from family contact as much as he could. George Sr. never listened to anyone, not even his bosses on the oil field, which was why he was always out of work. Only George Jr's paycheck kept the house running.

Meemaw was also none too pleased with the birthday gift his father gave him his for 16th birthday. Missy was given a gift certificate and told to spend her birthday with her friends, while Sheldon was told to come straight home, no matter how much he belly ached about it.

Sheldon came home from University expecting to find a cake or present, but instead he had found a bottle blond snapping gum while lying on his prized Star War Sheets with her dirty heels digging into the mattress. Sheldon had approached her like a scared cat, and had finally figured out why she was there. He wasn't sure what kind of "job" she had in mind, but he was sure he didn't want anything blown around his room.

After an uncomfortable conversation with the woman, which included far too many details for Sheldon's taste, he used the money his Meemaw had given him to pay off the prostitute so that he didn't have to touch her. She had also promised to lie to his father telling him that it had been a wonderful evening and that Sheldon was a stallion. At least it had been money well spent; Sheldon's father made no more comments about him being a virgin, and Sheldon agreeing with his father that he was glad he wasn't a virgin anymore, and had the added bonus of being able to perfect his lying face. The forced smile became a useful tool in dealing with this father and anyone else who asked him, "Are you okay, Sheldon?"

Sheldon did try to study at Rice, but each letter he received from Caltech at that time was a torturous taunt reminding him of what he could do, but wasn't allowed. They wanted the Wunderkind who had got the Stevenson Award at 15, but all the powers that be received back, was a regret filled letter that said, _maybe next year._

On his 18th birthday, before he had to endure another "blond" present from his father, Sheldon had packed a bag and boarded the bus to Pasadena. Sheldon's aversion to crowds meant that it had taken every ounce of courage he possessed to get on the crowded bus. The annoying passengers continually talked around him and the long journey was agony when all he had wanted was to be alone where he would be safe, have a predictable routine and get away from everything he hated.

As soon as he saw the 'Welcome to California' sign, Sheldon breathed easier and gave a genuine smile for the first time in seven years. He thought his troubles would be over once he reached the West coast, but drama followed him. Missy was going through a rough patch with her abusive boyfriend Bobby, and when it was found out she was pregnant, it was felt best that she move away from Galveston.

At first Sheldon wasn't too happy that his empty headed sister hopped up on hormones would be living with him. He had to get used her phone calls at all hours of the night to her friends back home, dirty dishes and pleas to go shopping in Los Angeles. However, within a few months, the siblings were living together as best they could.

Sheldon learned a great deal from his sister, and without the constant strain of their father's judgmental visage, they were able to relax for the first time in seven years.

After the baby was born, Sheldon offered to have Missy stay with him on a permanent basis. He was willing to help her raise the child as long as he was in charge of his education. Missy agreed, even to the flash cards and math exercises that Sheldon had started with his nephew, Jake at the tender age of 6 months.

The first year of his nephew's life was spent with Sheldon as a baby sitter while Missy struggled to get work and make a life in Pasadena. Sheldon doted on his nephew Jake, spending every spare minute with him, teaching all that a baby who could barely talk could handle and talking to him about all the things that held Sheldon's own interest. Each smile the tike gave him was little taste of joy for Sheldon.

Missy spent long hours talking with Sheldon about things he never considered, such as women and dating. She had tried to set him up on dates, but Sheldon refused. He just wasn't ready or interested.

" _Shelly bean, I know you like girls. I see them magazines you got." Missy winked at her brother. She loved making him red._

Sheldon flustered up, " _MISSY! Stay outta my room! Those are just National Geographics_!"

" _Fine, but instead of just THINKING about a girl why don't you try and date real one? It'll be good for you!"_

" _Oh Missy, leave me be. I have seen a few girls on campus that might have turned my head, but then they open their mouths, and well… nothing good comes out_." Sheldon looked away from his sister, " _I just…_ " Sheldon did not know how to explain that he could never consider a woman who didn't challenge him. Once they had started to talk, the spark was just not there, so he had never spoken to a woman long enough to get to know her, let alone date.

" _You will never really be happy Shelly, till you got someone who loves you_."

" _I've seen what loves get ya. No thank you."_ Sheldon picked up the baby and put him on his lap, " _Besides, I don't need any of that now. I am finally near solving the mysteries of the universe, and I don't need some girlfriend beggin' me to take her dancing or some such crap."_

" _You're a great dancer, Shelly."_

" _Well, of course I am. Momma insisted. But it don't matter. Romance is a distraction from science, Missy."_ Sheldon smiled at his nephew's cooing face, and spoke to him with a high voice, " _It clouds your mind, don't it, Jake?"_

Missy ignored her brother's excuses, " _How about a science girl? You guys can do experiments together!_ " She nudged him, but he missed the implication.

" _HA! Most girls at school are working on their MRS. Degree Missy, not science_."

" _Oh don't give me that. You go to Caltech, for god sake. All them girls are smart there! You are as sexist as…"_

" _Don't you dare say it."_ Sheldon glared at her, knowing what she was going to say next. She could always get his dander up by comparing him to his father.

" _Fine… I won't, but, you need to keep your eyes open Shelly. You ain't that scrawny little wimp from grade school no more. You're looking well…_ " Missy squeezed his arm, "... _acceptable_."

" _Gee thanks_." Sheldon rolled his eyes. He never worried about appearance but some of the lessons his daddy had taught him remained and he worked out at least an hour each day. He would never let anyone push him around again in his life.

" _Shelly, just get out, and flash them Cooper blues! Works every time! You could find a girl. I know it!"_ Sheldon scoffed at his sister's empty words.

" _I ain't looking, and besides, I got this little guy to keep me busy_." Jake held onto Sheldon's fingers and put them in his mouth. " _Can't you see you're doing much better without a boyfriend_?" Sheldon looked up and smiled at her, but Missy turned away from his gaze and got up to get a bottle.

" _Yeah… It's great_."

However Missy had her own lying face. She had never fit in with the California crowd, and longed to move back to the South. Having a child at 18 was frightening and Missy did not want to be a single mother. After a few long secret phone calls from her ex-boyfriend involving apologies and promises to change, one night Missy and her son moved back to Shreveport without telling Sheldon. She knew that he would never believe that Bobby had changed and so would not approve. The problem was that she was right, Sheldon was furious she left. Sheldon rang her constantly warning her that Bobby's promises were nothing but hot air, and that not only was she putting herself in danger, but her son too. However Missy ignored Sheldon's ranting and eventually stopped taking his calls.

Sheldon tried to get back into his previous routine, but the hole in his heart when his nephew left was difficult to heal. His family troubles were not over however. Sheldon's father's lifestyle was finally catching up with him, but he ignored the actions and advice of his family to reduce his drinking. Six months after Missy had returned home, George Jr rang Sheldon and told him that their father had died. Sheldon felt no pain at the news, he felt he had lost his father years ago, and it was only on Meemaw's insistence that he returned home for the funeral.

It was decided that with George Sr. gone, Meemaw should move into the family home. It was also at that time that Sheldon and George Jr. were able to persuade Missy to move in with Meemaw. Missy had finally come to her senses. He had not changed during the last six months and though he had not hit their son, Missy feared that it would just be a matter of time. She did however worry that just moving out of his dirty apartment would not prevent Bobby from trying to see either her or their son.

After a quick visit to Galveston, Sheldon assured Missy that he had spoken to Bobby who had promised to keep his distance. What he had not told Missy was that Bobby was the better off by two black eyes, a sprained wrist and a three broken ribs courtesy of Sheldon and a threat to do more damage should he break his promise to stay away. George Jr. was there for back up, but none was required.

Sheldon gave his nephew a kiss on the head, and headed back to California. He sent Missy and Meemaw a little money every month, and saved some for his nephew. The only phone calls he made were to check on the little guy and to Meemaw to tell her he was fine. He could even lie through the phone.

Around the age of twenty, he was still working on Loop Quantum Gravity Theory, and was well established at Cal Tech with a routine he could manage. Finally, the dust had settled and Sheldon felt he could relax into his new life. However Sheldon's increasing aversion for crowds and growing intolerance to dim witted people was a major problem. He didn't trust their motivations, or their words. He had tried to work on campus, but the constant presence of these annoying people made it nearly impossible for him to focus.

Then in an unexpected move, the university wanted him to teach a short seminar to attract donors. He had tried to do his best, but the upstart spoiled freshmen wouldn't listen to a professor who was not only the same age as they but who also seemed to have no love for the subject. Though Sheldon felt that his students were all ungrateful brats who didn't know a good thing when they saw it, he had tried to share his brilliant mind, but all he got in return was spit balls and disdain.

The worse part of the job was that Sheldon had had to work with some snot nose upstart grad student named Barry Kripke. In Sheldon's opinion, Kripke was an ass; always hitting on the female students, showing no respect to women, and doing everything he could not to work. Kripke in turn was vexed to be working as a teaching assistant for Sheldon Cooper, given the fact Sheldon was 3 years younger than he.

Kripke had made Sheldon's life hell: Mixing slides with inappropriate nude pictures of obese women, hiding his chalk and misreading all the female student's papers so he had to chat them up after class. It had been as tedious as it was infuriating.

Sheldon Six glanced around the room at the congress of Sheldons as he reminisced about his failed past, and wondered if any of these Sheldon's had had to deal with Kripke like he did. They all seemed too happy, so he figured they had avoided that fate. _Lucky Bastards,_ he thought.

As he listened to all these Sheldon's grouse about their perfect lives, one day in particular came to mind, and thanks to his eidetic mind, the pain of it remained like a splinter:

 _Sheldon was working on his final, when a package was delivered for Barry addressed from a Mrs. Kripke in North Dakota. Sheldon could smell the oatmeal and cinnamon through the brown cardboard. It must have been a care package from Kripke's mother._

 _About three hours past the time he was due to arrive Kripke had strolled into the office with an arrogant swagger. He had been to strip club the night before, and wanted to tell Cooper all about it. Sheldon had had enough of strip clubs from his father, who had hauled him to every single club he could find from Galveston to Houston. Kripke's Strip club story was becoming as tiresome as his father's endless hooker jokes, so Sheldon handed him the box to shut him up. "Look Kripke, I am sure Ms. DD Melons was fascinating, but you've got a package. Smells like cookies!"_

 _Kripke's nose scrunched up in disgust, "Oh Christ, not those damn cookies. I told her I hate cinnamon in the cookies. Ooh, I wonder if she sent any cash in the card!" Kripke ripped open the envelope, and threw away the card without reading it as he pocked the 20 dollars in his wallet. Talking to no one in particular, Kripke groused, "Lousy 20 bucks, really cheap Mom."_

 _Sheldon looked at the card on the floor. It was open and he could read the beautiful handwriting. It was a note from Kripke's mother. She was so proud of her boy Barry and hoped she could visit him soon. She was feeling a little ill as of late, but the oncologist said to keep hopeful. She wondered when he was going to visit her since it had been a few years. She told him the whole of the bingo parlor was rooting for her rocket scientist son. Sheldon nearly growled at Kripke, "You dropped your card, Kripke."_

" _Oh, leave it, the janitor will get it. Hey, did that blond from the third row come in to go over her paper. I'll tell ya, I wouldn't mind get tangled in her quantum loop."_

" _That makes no sense, and you really need to pick up that card, Kripke."_

 _Kripke snorted, "Cooper, you are a crazy son of bitch. You can't stand it when there is a scrap of trash on the floor."_

 _Sheldon rose off his chair so furiously that it flew out behind him and hit the wall, "Barry, that letter you so callously threw away is not trash. It's a note from your mother you ungrateful piece of shit. How she can waste her time on a worthless asshole like you is beyond me. Please tell me you have siblings so her life can have some glimmer of hope."_

" _HEY! Don't you talk to me about my mom! You don't know me, or my history." Kripke was ready for a fight, but seeing Cooper standing two feet from his face he stepped back and held his fist with rage. "You got some nerve, Cooper!"_

" _I got some nerve? Your mother wrote you she was sick! Do you even care? You could lose her and you're too busy worried about some stripper with the name of a fruit! You don't deserve to have a mother like that! I should pound your face in on principal alone."_

" _I'd like to see you try, Cooper! Go ahead. I'll be down to Mrs. Davis so fast you'll start believing in alternate dimensions. You loser! You're just jealous because you never get any mail from anyone. HA! It's probably cause you pissed off everyone in your life by being such a pedantic asshole!"_

 _Sheldon was inches from pummeling smug Kripke's face when a student timidly knocked on the office door, "Um… Excuse me… Dr. Cooper? Are you going to do class today? It's like… um 2:12?"_

" _God Damnit! See, Kripke! You and your fucking selfish ways have made me late!" Sheldon rushed over to the classroom to be faced with a horrific scene. The class had erased part of his notes on the chalkboard to play hangman, with the answer being Cooper, music was blaring, and one person was even eating a pizza._

" _Okay, get back to your seats. Now… Settle down. Stop that! Who threw that! What was that, a spitball? Ya'll better sit the fuck down now!" Sheldon was fuming. He felt a rage building inside him pulsing to his fists._

 _One student from the back of class sneered out, "What the hell, prof! You kiss your mother with that mouth?"_

 _That was it. Sheldon shook with anger and with all his strength, punched the hangman's drawing which caused a fist shaped crack in the board. The class was quiet in an instant. Sheldon turned around and glared at the once unruly collection of spoiled children._

 _He hated them all._

That outburst had almost ruined his career. Not wanting to hear the University's reaction to his temper again, he had packed a bag and taken off for the bus station and had waited for the first bus he could get to Galveston. He had to get back to the one place he had felt completely safe and loved. He had to get back to Texas, to his room. That's where he saw her last. The last moment he was happy. He just needed to feel that once more, if only for a moment. He knew he couldn't see her there anymore, but that didn't stop the need.

But the bus was hours away so he had rung the only person he knew who could help him: his brother. He had looked around the station house as the person on the other end spoke. He wasn't listening to what his brother said, he just wanted to get away. He had watched the families getting ready for their journeys. The noise was getting to him: Mothers calling for their kids to keep up, father's ignoring the cries of the toddler who just wanted some attention and weeping lovers saying their goodbyes. The irony had been that all these people were going about their normal lives while Sheldon's life had been falling apart.

He never did get on that bus, his brother could not come. So unable to face the crowded bus back to Galveston or anywhere he had finally walked back to his apartment.

Thankfully, the University had decided to give him another chance and had let him work at home on research only. All he had to do was show up once or twice a year, to put a face to his paycheck. They still wanted the wunderkind on the payroll, for now, but he had to prove his worth more than ever.

That arrangement had worked for the last 12 years. There would be years where the only voices he heard were that of family and nothing more. As the lonely years droned on, his sister's voice would echo in his ears. Perhaps he should have taken her advice after all and found someone. Though he would see his family once a year at Thanksgiving due again to Meemaw's insistence, Sheldon threw himself into his work and had put forth some powerful theories and research which brought in even more money. His reclusive lifestyle actually worked in his favor for a while, as grants were given to the "ghost genius" of Caltech.

However lately, the grant money was drying up since loop quantum gravity wasn't a sexy field anymore, not like Dark matter or String Theory. With the fleeting money went the University's confidence in Sheldon's abilities. He hadn't produced any results for a few months and truthfully, Sheldon also was running out ideas and his love for the field had run its course. Soon he might be out of job if he didn't show any progress or worse, back to teaching.

Nothing was providing him with any comfort or peace even his daily physical exercise had become more difficult, as if he couldn't pull up his own weight any longer. It seemed that even his arms had given up on him.

Email was the worst part of his day and the email he had just read before he was whisked away to this fantasy land was something he could not face again.

Just hours before he was brought to this familiar apartment that felt so strange, he had logged on the Caltech website. There was one new message: A request for his attendance at a meeting with the head of the department, the president and the HR representative Mrs. Davis. If there was going to be a fight, Sheldon was ready for it. If they wanted to get rid of him, they would have to force him out and he'd go down swinging.

He stormed off back to his empty guest room and grasped at the pull bar he had installed across the door way. He stripped off his shirt and started frantically doing pull ups till his stomach ached. He reached 89 before he collapsed on the floor.

He heard that voice again in his head.A thick Texas voice growling at him. _"Get up, you god damn wimp. You are gonna do this till you reach 100. You think that fancy school is gonna teach you to be a man? You may be smart, but what did that ever get ya? Nothing. No son of mine is gonna be a fucking pussy. Get up!"_ Sheldon could almost smell the sweat off his father's unwashed shirt and the hint of Kmart Bourbon on his breath as he screamed in Sheldon's ear.

Sheldon grabbed his shirt and curled up on the floor, holding it to his chest. Finally he got up, and reached for the bar again. He did 12 more pull ups and then leaned against the wall. "Fuck him." Sheldon used the shirt to wipe off the sweat and headed to the shower.

After he had showered and dressed he returned to his computer desk and stared at the screen. He had no idea what to say to Human Resources other than cussing and threats, unfortunately they had never worked before. His screen saver flashed images of Einstein, Madam Curie, Captain America and Thor in front of him, but even his heroes gave him little comfort.

He needed to focus his mind, get a plan of action for the meeting that week. Sheldon had just stood up and was about to pace around his Spartan apartment, when he was blinked to a room filled with copies of himself.

The constant pressure he had been under the past months in trying to come up with results for the University had plagued him and had caused him many sleepless nights. He would spend days staring at a blank white boards, hoping, even praying something would come, but he was all dried up.

As he refocused back on the discussion going on around him by his doppelgangers, he felt that this was the root cause of this extremely detailed hallucination he was having. It was only logical. He must have fallen asleep at his desk again. It was becoming a habit he hated. What other explanation was there for 5 versions of himself getting into fisticuffs? Sheldon couldn't even trust his own mind.

They all had something he wanted. Even number Four has the chance to redeem himself, and seemed to be coming around during this imaginary congress of Sheldons. He thought that if he had been as lucky as those Sheldon's bitching right now about some stupid TV Show, he would have had an Amy of his own. He would have been able to call her for advice or comfort. She would be his hero, help him, maybe even tell him what to say without risking his foot in mouth disease. But just like some of the screensavers on his computer she was nothing but a fantasy. He thought Freud would have had a field day with this meticulous illusion.

He had spent the evening listening to all their complaints, and belly aching. He had listened to them complain about having too much love, or not in the right way. Hell even in this fantasy, he couldn't be joyful. He forgot the last time he even knew the meaning of the word joy.

As he looked around the room at all the Sheldons, he wondered what did they need to make them happy? Nothing. The trivialities that some of these Sheldons bitched about infuriated him. Sheldon knew exactly what they needed; what they all needed. They needed to shut the hell up and a swift kick in the ass so he could finally wake up.

* * *

 **Here is the recap:**

 **Sheldon One: He is the Sheldon from the Show. This story takes place minutes after the Skype call ended from the Finale.**

 **Sheldon Two: He is from my Big Reversal Theory: The Vixen in 4B story. You just found out he proposed in 2010. He is marred in 2011.**

 **Sheldon Three: He is the Sheldon who had a one night stand with Amy after meeting her in the theater.**

 **Sheldon Four: He broke up with Amy over the Table incident in Season 7 and hasn't been with her since.**

 **Sheldon Five: This is the Sheldon from my Caustic Cohabitation Conundrum. He is the one who met Amy when he was 21 at Harvard. This is 15 years later and he is a proud parent.**

 **Sheldon Six: Non-believer. More of his story will unfold later. We just found out he was raised by his father and helped his sister with her baby when he was only 18. He still thinks this congress of Sheldon's is just a dream and he wants to wake up.**

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks folks for all your support. I hope you liked Sheldon Six's story. I have big plans for him, but this is just a taste. I hope it was enough.**


	12. Chapter 12: Six Packs a Punch

**Six Sheldon's**

 **Chapter 12: Six Packs a Punch**

 **Thanks so much to Shamy4evr for being the best Beta!**

* * *

 **Here is the recap:**

 **Sheldon One: He is the Sheldon from the Show. This story takes place minutes after the Skype call ended from the Finale.**

 **Sheldon Two: He is from my Big Reversal Theory: The Vixen in 4B story. You just found out he proposed in 2010. He is marred in 2011.**

 **Sheldon Three: He is the Sheldon who had a one night stand with Amy after meeting her in the theater.**

 **Sheldon Four: He broke up with Amy over the Table incident in Season 7 and hasn't been with her since.**

 **Sheldon Five: This is the Sheldon from my Caustic Cohabitation Conundrum. He is the one who met Amy when he was 21 at Harvard. This is 15 years later and he is a proud parent.**

 **Sheldon Six: Non-believer. More of his story will unfold later. We just found out he was raised by his father and helped his sister with her baby when he was only 18. He still thinks this congress of Sheldon's is just a dream and he wants to wake up.**

* * *

 **Unlike most of my stories, there is a LOT of cussing in this chapter. Just a heads up.**

Sheldon Six had been mostly quiet the whole evening, only interjecting a comment here and there when the idiocy of the others got to be too great. He sat at the computer desk with his arms crossed over his chest defiantly, listening like a mediator at couple's therapy, but now he had had enough of the shenanigans of the evening. It was time to get these Sheldon's to man up and shut the hell up!

He interrupted a conversation about which was the best brand of fabric softener. "Ya know, I don't know which one of ya'all is the biggest idiot when it comes to women, but it's a fairly easy calculation." His booming voice and thick Texas accent quieted the room instantly. He rose slowly off the chair and stood in the middle of the five Sheldons, staring them down while daring them to test his resolve.

Sheldon Six waved his hand dismissively over to Sheldon Four, "We got this idiot who let her go. What were you thinkin'? Over a fucking table, are you serious with this shit?"

All five Sheldons' jaw's dropped when they were subjected to the kind of language they had only heard from their father's bourbon saturated breath. Sheldon Six didn't give them time to gawk before he continued his bombast.

"According to this clueless moron, whose stupid life you seem to mirror…" Sheldon Six pointed to Sheldon One, "the only reason he is still with her is because she was smarter than he. Maybe your Amy just didn't give a crap about you!" Sheldon Six narrowed his eyes at Sheldon Four who was by now twitching with anger. Sheldon Six knew how to push him just enough to get him to crack.

Sheldon Four stood up and glared at Sheldon Six then spat out his retort, "How dare you say she didn't care about me! MY Amy cared about me more than anything! She loved me, even those guys said so! I was the one who was wrong." He stopped and added quietly, "and I'm gonna tell her!"

Sheldon Six gave Four a smug smile and licked his lips in victory.

All the other Sheldon's let out a gasp. Sheldon Four looked at them all and took a large swallow. He shoved his hands in his baggy pants and said meekly, "Fine…I admit it. I never should have let her go."

Sheldon Six snickered at Sheldon Four's admission "Well, then I'd say we have found the winner of who is one with his head up his ass!"

"Oh yeah! Well, what did you do to your Amy? HUH? All of us haven't been the best. I'm no different than any of you!" Sheldon Four's sniveling made even Sheldon One roll his eyes.

"I never had an Amy! Or a Leonard, a Poppop or any of that shit! I live alone, here. I haven't been out of the house for a year!"

"No wonder you're so antisocial…" Sheldon Four narrowed his eyes to slits and glared at Six.

Sheldon Six didn't miss the insult. "Yeah… I wasn't coddled like you guys. I'll tell you what, if I did have a friend like Leonard, I sure as hell wouldn't treat him like you guys did! Like a servant just waiting for his master's command. I'd treat him like a friend! And if I had a woman like Amy…"

Sheldon Two sat up and cut off Sheldon Six's rant with a dismissive wave, "You'd screw it up too, don't kid yourself." The room was silent as the truth sat out between them like boulder, blocking their excuses.

Sheldon Six ran his hands over his head, "Yeah… I know I would."

Sheldon Three beamed, "HEY! I bet there is an AMY in your universe! You just need to find her!"

"HA! As soon as I wake up from this stupid dream, I'll go right and get her, won't I? You guys can come to our wedding!"

Sheldon Three grinned, but Sheldon Five shook his head and said, "Sarcasm. I think." Sheldon Three just shook his head.

Sheldon Six continued to glare around the group who were now silent watching his next move, "As I said, do you know who the worst one of all of us is?"

Every other Sheldon in the room pointed to Sheldon Four who stepped back in shock, "Hey!"

"No not that idiot. He doesn't know any better, but he's learnin'. NO! It's that one!" Sheldon Six pointed to Sheldon One who looked like he'd been hit with bolt from a cross bow.

"ME!? I'm with Amy! What are you saying? Did you take a marijuana? Are you the drug addict version of us?"

Sheldon Six moved closer to Sheldon One so he could look down on him, but proximity wasn't needed. "No, I'm not. I'm the one who can see through your bullshit for what it is. You have your Amy only because she is patient, not because of ANYTHING you've done."

"What do you know? We've been together for 5 years and I have put up with more female shenanigans than I care to count! How can you comment on my relationship? Who do you have? No one! I told Amy I love her!" Sheldon One was almost ready jump up and smack Sheldon Six across the mouth, but Sheldon Five jumped up instead and got between them.

"Already, boys calm down!"

Sheldon Six just snorted, "Shut up, professor! Just because you got kids you think you're the wise old man of the group. You think you know better than any of us? It was a crap shoot; you rolled boxcars on the come out roll. You were just lucky enough to meet her earlier, that's all! If you didn't meet her, you'd be no better than this clown swimming in the river of denial! Don't you see? It's not you! It's her!" Sheldon Six tilted his head to Sheldon Five, the venom in his tone making his words an insult.

Sheldon Five waved off Six's visceral pomposity, "You are just displacing anger to belabor number One's obvious shortcomings. We aren't punching bags for your palpable frustrations…"

"Oh shut the fuck up. You just proved my point. I bet every word outta your mouth you got from her, didn't ya?" Sheldon Six raised an eye brow as a challenge.

Sheldon Five licked his lips and said quietly, "Maybe…"

Sheldon Six squared his stance and narrowed his eyes to Sheldon Five, "She is the reason why you are so calm and confident."

Sheldon Six pointed to Sheldon Three, "She's the reason this hippy can't get that stupid smile off his face!"

Sheldon Three just scowled at Sheldon Six, but said nothing. Now that Sheldon Six was standing in the middle of the group, Sheldon Three also could not help noticing that he seemed twice as wide in the shoulders as the rest of the Sheldon's, as if he'd been working out for years. He certainly did not want to cross him, but besides he was smart enough to know that Sheldon Six he was right.

Pointing at Sheldon Four, Sheldon Six said "This fucking clueless asshat let her go, but that's understandable because in the lottery of different versions, it turns out he won the prize for biggest narcissistic douche bag." He turned to look at Sheldon One and sniffed the air like he smelt mold, "But you… You I don't get."

Sheldon One snorted and crossed his arms insolently over his chest. He had scooted into THE spot that Sheldon Five had just vacated with a cheeky sneer, just to show he didn't care what anyone thought. "Again, 5 years together and I told her I love her. I don't see the problem with me!" Sheldon One turned his head to Sheldon Three, and in an attempt to shift the blame said accusingly, "At least I didn't have coitus with her on the first night, like some slutty Sheldon's I know."

"Hey! I love her! We were…" Sheldon Three tried to explain his actions, but Sheldon Six cut him off pointing at him.

"He's the smartest one of the bunch!" Sheldon Six looked at Sheldon Three who grinned proudly, and puffed out his chest. "Thanks"

"Oh, shut up Casanova, you may be smart, but if I have to hear one time about your magical god damn evening, I'm gonna be sick!"

Sheldon Two stood up and said, "Why are you picking on him? What did he do?"

Sheldon Six stood closer to Sheldon Two. He seemed almost a foot taller, but Sheldon Two knew that it was just his broad shoulders that gave him an intimidating stance, "I'm not picking on him! I'm talking to the 6'1 toddler over there! That's who! Now sit down, ya fucking drama queen before you screw up your words again like you did with your Amy."

Sheldon Two was in no mood to be lectured by this know-it-all fouled mouthed Sheldon, "Hey! I am married with a kid on the way. I am doing just fine, regardless of how long it took me to talk Amy into sleeping with me…"

Sheldon Six was unimpressed, "Just pathetic. Fuck… a year and half? And she's living next door? Idiot! But not as bad as this asshole." Sheldon Six glared at Sheldon One.

"Hey! I will not sit here and take this abuse from you! You are me! With obvious hormone therapy issues, but still! How dare you speak about me and Amy like that! I've been with her for 5 years! Just because I've haven't pounced on her like this grunting savage."

Sheldon One waved his hand to Sheldon Three who snapped at him, "Hey! I was not grunting on her! We don't grunt… We moan…"

"OH save it! He's right, you're a hippy." Sheldon One growled back at Sheldon Six, "There is NOTHING wrong with me and Amy! She just needs time to think. That's all, just time to realize she was wrong." But even as the words left his mouth, he didn't believe them.

"Damn buddy, there is so much wrong with you and you don't even see it."

Even Sheldon Five was getting annoyed. He rubbed his temples and turned to Sheldon One, "You still think she was wrong? Go on, number Six, let him have it."

Sheldon Six nodded to Sheldon Five, "Look. Even I get what happened with you and your Amy and I have never met her!"

Sheldon Three grinned innocently, "YET!"

Sheldon Six just rolled his eyes, "Anyway… It is so obvious, number One. It's because you don't appreciate her. You keep her at arm's length, even when she keeps letting you come back. You told her you loved her because you do, about as much as you love your action figures in the box. She's just part of a set you collected. You just don't want things to change, and she's become part of the furniture."

"Speaking of furniture…." Sheldon Six turned to Sheldon Four and lectured, "That is why you screwed up things so bad with that stupid table, you dolt. You expected her not to change, like the empty space you had before the table came in. She filled in that space just like that table did, and you hated it. I really don't get why, but who cares? When you were hacking that table, you were trying to hack out your heart. Didn't work though, did it? Ungrateful bastard! You're so lucky, you don't even know! NONE OF YOU KNOW!"

"We know plenty! I know Amy. She just needs time. Like number Three said, a few hours…" Sheldon One's voice wavered like his feather light confidence.

Sheldon Six spat back at him, "You don't know shit. You don't think of her, what she wants or needs. Hell, you were gonna go to Mars without her? You think falling in love is a game you can play to get a ride to a convention? At least that asshole had the balls to let her go once and for all. You string her along making her think you give a shit, when all you care about is what she can do for you! How long are you gonna make her wait? How long have you made her feel like she was less of person for wanting a future with you? What's that number you're so proud of? 5 fucking years and you've only kissed her?"

"It's called foreplay." Sheldon One crossed his arms defiantly. Even Sheldon Four had to roll his eyes.

Sheldon Six snapped back, "It's called you're a chicken shit."

Sheldon Three snickered, "Or that…It could be called that…"

"Even onion ring boy got over his fear of sex like a man. Grow the fuck up!" Sheldon Six didn't mention he was as much a virgin as Sheldon One. Sheldon Six had no fear of sex, he had hormones a plenty but had not met anyone that would kindle the fire in his heart. This crowd didn't need to know that, and it was none of their damn business.

Sheldon One sneered at both Three and Six, but Six wasn't done yelling. "You could give her what she wants, maybe not coitus like this sex maniac."

Sheldon Three pouted, while Sheldon Six continued his rant, "BUT NO! You could at least show some kind of affection, but you hold it back, like you're dolling out candy when YOU feel like it having something sweet. DO you have ANY passion for this woman at all? You know she wants more, but do you give a shit, no!"

Sheldon One rose off the couch and snapped at Sheldon Six with a white hot anger he had never felt before, "I was going to ask her to marry me! What more can I do? I said I loved her! What more could she want?" He slumped back in his seat looking away from Sheldon Six.

Sheldon Six snorted and screamed back, " _What more could she want_? Are you serious? How can you even ask that god damn question with a straight face? She wants a man who can hold her without a negotiation. She wants a man who wants to spend time with her, who looks forward to seeing her. She wants a man who makes her feel like she is most beautiful woman in the world. All your Amy gets is rejected by you, and you don't even realize, and yet she still kept coming back! Do you know what that means? Do you?"

Sheldon Four asked his time, "No… What does it mean?"

"It MEANS that no matter how much of an asshole he was, this woman still loved him! But he threw it away! This time you pushed too far, huh, number One. She didn't come back and that is the ONLY reason why you even care to ask what she wants. You never even bothered to ask before! If you REALLY loved her, you'd let her go find a real man."

Sheldon Four listened to what Six was yelling at number One. He looked at his hands, making a decision about his Amy.

Sheldon One wasn't done defending himself. "I DO LOVE HER!"

Sheldon Six would have none of it, "Love her? You are such a child, you don't even know that love is not about you. It's about her! You're not just clueless, you're god damn fucking cruel."

Sheldon One lip quivered but he announced with a shaking voice, "I know. I know I haven't done it right, okay. I am going to fix it. I will get her back!"

"Here… here." The group called out tepidly, all except Sheldon Six who was still fuming.

"You fucking better fix yourself first, slim. You don't even know how lucky you fucking are."

Sheldon One just sat there quietly, in "his" spot. The other Sheldon's stole glances toward him, but he said nothing, he just tried to hide his quivering lip. Finally Sheldon Two spoke up and looked at Sheldon Six who was breathing through his nose like a bull, "Does mom know you talk like that? She'd have my hide."

"Mom's dead. Has been for 24 years. I doubt she gives a shit how I talk." Sheldon Six stormed back to the computer desk. He slumped into the seat, sat back and swung it around to face the wall.

Sheldon Five couldn't believe his ears. He did a quick calculation: This Sheldon had lost his mom at the age of 11, a full 3 years before his father died. "God, you lost mom then dad 3 years later? Who raised you? Drunken sailors?"

Sheldon Six sat back in the office chair, "Dad died at 14? Nah, I got the lucky straw and had four more years living with him than you guys, till I escaped to Caltech for my second Doctorate at the age of 18."

"18? What's the matter with you? We did our second Doctorate at Caltech at 16." Sheldon Four stepped further away from Sheldon Six when he glared at him.

"When mom died, dad didn't want to break up, "the family" over some damn college." Sheldon Six made quote marks with his fingers but one could almost taste the disgust he had for the word _family_.

"He said Rice was good enough because it cost the same. He made me go to Rice for all my grad work even though Caltech had asked for me, cause he said California would turn me queer. Such a bigoted ignoramus."

"Yeah… we had the same dad for sure." Sheldon Five shook his head in disgust.

"You had mom as shield, I bet." Sheldon Six smiled for a moment with a hint of what could have been.

Sheldon Two added, "Yeah, she and daddy had more than one fight about my education. She insisted I go to CalTech, she said I should spread my wings. They fought for months about it, that and his taste for blonds."

"He didn't lose that, let me tell ya. I didn't get out here till he couldn't tell me what to do anymore. He died from liver failure during my winter break when I was 20, just after Missy left..." As he said the words, Sheldon Six could still smell the odor coming off the coffin at his father's funeral. Even in death, his father reeked of bourbon and shame.

Sheldon Four said in a low voice, "My dad died when I was 14, heart failure."

Sheldon Three replied quietly, almost a mumble, "Me too, but liver failure, like his."

Sheldon Five asked reticently, "How did mom die?" He didn't know if he wanted to hear the answer, it was an inconceivable pain he knew one day he'd have to face.

Sheldon Six swung the chair around and leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. He was rubbing the middle of his palms. He took a deep swallow and answered in a low voice seeming to be much younger when he spoke, "She… um… was driving. I thought she was going to his girlfriend's house, but I found out later they weren't there. Momma drove around looking to drag dad outta a bar or that fucking blond, wasn't sure which. She went to a crowded bar and got hit by a drunk driver. Daddy had so much guilt, he gave up drinking for a short while and proceeded to try and take her place."

Sheldon Six sat up and leaned back in the chair. He looked around the room at the five other Sheldon's who all had that same face of sympathy that he hated so much. He had seen the same face on his Meemaw, his school counselors and the preacher who buried his momma. He was tired of that face. It was empty, filled with unspoken platitudes and meaningless empathy. Meemaw had tried to get close to Sheldon, but he had shut down. He didn't want to feel that pain again, so he closed off that part of his heart and never intended to open it again. It opened briefly with his Nephew Jake, but after they left that closed too and decided to shut out the world, never to be hurt again.

Sheldon Six looked out at the apparent alternate histories before him. Each one had problems, but they all seemed happier. He let out a chuckle, "Looks like dad didn't do as well as he thought huh?" Sheldon Six spun the chair back around toward the wall.

He couldn't hear a sound, like the five alternate versions of himself were mute. He figured they just didn't know what to say. Then he heard a snap, like a box closing. Thinking it was one of the Sheldon's moving something, he let out a sigh and turned around, "Look guys… I never should have went off like that. I sounded too much like dad even for my own taste, ya know? I shouldn't have…" He stopped talking when he noticed the strange leather couch was gone, all that remained was his green and white lawn chair. The other Sheldons were gone. He was alone again.

* * *

 **A/N: WHAT?! That's it? IS THIS THE END? HAZELRA IS LAME-O!**

 **Never fear folks! There are four more chapters to this tale. I hope you stay tuned!**

 **Thanks for all your support and feedback on this story.**


	13. Chapter 13: Fortuitous Five's Finale

**Chapter 13**

 **Epilogue Sheldon 5**

 **Six Sheldons: Fortuitous Five's Finale**

 **Thanks so much to Shamy4evr for being the best Beta and putting up with my last minute edits!**

* * *

 **Here is the recap:**

 **Sheldon One: He is the Sheldon from the Show. This story takes place minutes after the Skype call ended from the Finale.**

 **Sheldon Two: He is from my Big Reversal Theory: The Vixen in 4B story. You just found out he proposed in 2010. He is marred in 2011.**

 **Sheldon Three: He is the Sheldon who had a one night stand with Amy after meeting her in the theater.**

 **Sheldon Four: He broke up with Amy over the Table incident in Season 7 and hasn't been with her since.**

 **Sheldon Five: This is the Sheldon from my Caustic Cohabitation Conundrum. He is the one who met Amy when he was 21 at Harvard. This is 15 years later and he is a proud parent.**

 **Sheldon Six: Non-believer. More of his story will unfold later. We just found out he was raised by his father and helped his sister with her baby when he was only 18. He still thinks this congress of Sheldon's is just a dream and he wants to wake up.**

* * *

Sheldon Five saw each Sheldon blink out of existence one by one with a sizzle and a hiss. He knew the sound all too well. He had heard it all Spring, every time he had tried to get the machine running. He gave the empty room a smile before he quickly reclaimed his spot on his couch, in his room. The experiment had worked! All too well. It was all the power he could muster out of the small device, but he had never expected to get five in one room.

He rose off the couch with a little skip and walked over to the coveted Death Star sitting on the landing. "I really need to call Henry and thank him for this design. He was such a good TA…"

He pressed a button and the Death Star opened like a cracked egg to reveal a cold fusion machine releasing whiffs of dry ice fog.

"Argumentum ad absurdum indeed!" He let out a snort of haughty mockery "George Bush as President? Good lord we dodged a bullet!" He closed the device just as he heard an adolescent voice call from the doorway.

"THERE YOU ARE!" Sheldon turned to see his son standing in the door way with his hands on hips, unconsciously mimicking his mother.

He was lanky boy, like Sheldon had been when he was young, thin with a strong chin and piercing blue eyes. His russet hair had grown long over the year, but he refused to get it cut despite Sheldon's grousing. He flipped his long bangs off his forehead and strode into the room. "Mom is going to blow a gasket that you haven't called for six hours!"

"I know I know! I should have left a note, but I had things to do. Important, Caltech things…" Sheldon swallowed and looked away before his son saw his twitching eyes.

"Dad! You have the worst tell! This is why you lose at Coup all the time! You're twitching! Now what were you up…" Nic grinned and crossed his arms in confident recognition, "You did it, didn't you?"

Sheldon couldn't contain his elation anymore; he was just too excited not to tell anyone, "I DID! It worked, son! All your calculations worked! I tweaked the design to collapse the field. There were only other five realities, but it worked!"

Nic nearly jumped across the room to his father, "I just can't believe it! Let me see it!"

Sheldon walked over to the white board he had been guarding the whole evening. He turned it to show his son the diagram. The entire back was filled with circuitry and wires. Some of the layout Nic didn't recognize, but the basic design was the same he had drawn out over a year ago for his freshman science fair. He still couldn't believe he had lost to a mushroom log, but the judging committee had been led by his sworn enemy: The boy who had asked his girlfriend out in second grade. He had been robbed of that prize, but if his father got this to work, a Nobel would be much sweeter.

"Tell me everything! Did my idea on the hybrid quantum of the phonton and electron help? Did you use that?"

"Yes. That was key. The phoniton, its all in the notes you wrote, son. The quantum form of vibrations was a brilliant idea as was sending it in a wave. I couldn't get the whole room unless I did that. Vibrations calibrations were critical and I might add, not too far from the collapse of the DC Multiverse!."

Nic was beaming, "Its all there! Just like I dreamed that one night." Nic scanned over the panel retracing the design in his head. Sheldon had recreated all of the original design plus added a few changes that Nic didn't recognize.

"Of course, son, but don't forget, I told you that an electron excited at those levels, mere milli-electron-volts (meV) in energy, would transits between two levels. I just hijacked that journey so to speak to collapse the field, and hitched it to matter. Makes a weird noise though... Like a crackle..."

"I just can't believe you resolved the power problem. How did you get the power!?"

"The reactor Henry designed last year. I never imagined Henry could make it, but working with me for over two years must have helped his cognitive functions." Sheldon gave his son a smug smile.

Nic was immune his father's ego, "Sure dad.. That was it.. Tell me! Did you get a whole bunch of different people? It had to be the same people who lived here! The space is the same, but just the reality was different."

"I didn't want to take any chances with strangers, so I used my DNA and input a template so to speak. I thought Sheldon Coopers who lived here at Los Robles would not be too far off from me and hopefully not be psychos."

"Some would disagree with statement, dad." Nic loved to tease his father.

Sheldon scoffed taking it all in his stride. "Well, they just don't understand my genius. Anyway, the DNA profile only returned those who were here and alone. I was so pleased none of them had just got out of the shower that could have been unpleasant, not to say embarrassing. Phew."

Nic was still confused by the location, "But **you** don't even live here anymore, Dad! We moved out when Marie was born!" It took a little convincing for Sheldon and Amy to purchase their lovely craftsman home a few blocks from Caltech, but the two bedroom apartment was too small for a growing family.

Sheldon rolled his eyes at his son questioning him, "I know that, but what's the difference between my science lab and my old apartment!?"

"A big difference, Dad. For one, you call this your secret lair." Nic mirrored his mother's look by glaring at his father, albeit with a smirk.

"Fortress of Solitude. Lairs are evil, son."

"Mom calls it a money pit."

"Well, I took her to Paris, so she can stifle it! Besides, she has the whole side room at home for her quilts and harp and all that monkey junk." Their anniversary trip to Europe was a dream come true for Amy. They went alone since Mary stayed in California and watched the kids. The couple was able to have a proper honeymoon after 12 years of marriage. The Nobel money that Sheldon had just won was a welcome addition to their spending account for the trip. Sheldon spared no expense and lavished Amy with every sight she had ever dreamed of.

"True. Speaking of mom, does she know you took her Nobel?" Nic pointed to the prize on the top shelf. He curled up his mouth and shook his head with tsk tsk on his lips.

Sheldon looked up at the prize and then at his son who was eyeing him, "No… and you won't tell her!"

"Did they know it was Mom's?

"Umm.." Sheldon shifted in his spot and looked away.

Nic crossed his arms, just like his mother and looked over his brow to his father's blushing face, "Showing off, huh?"

"Well, I do have one too ya know!"

Nic couldn't help but roll his eyes, "Everyone knows, dad."

Sheldon cocked his head, "Hey…How do you know that's not mine?"

Nic said quickly, "Because yours is behind plate glass beside your bed, with a huge sign saying, "Break in case of science emergency or apocalypse of ignorance."

"Yes, well, given the group I met tonight, I think some time lines could use my genius."

Nic was bouncing like he was made of springs, "Tell me more! Who did you met? Did they look like you? Did they have kids? What did you talk about? Wait… You didn't tell them my idea, did you?" Nic looked pale thinking someone would steal his idea even if they were from another dimension, but his Dad was as protective of his son's theories as he was of his own.

"No… No way. No science, I insisted. It's funny… we spent the whole time talking about your mom!"

"MOM? You had all those copies of yourself, and you spent your time talking about the one person you see every day?"

Sheldon just smiled with a wistful grin, "We talked about the most important person in the universe. It was amazing. She sounds remarkable in every universe, son. I am a lucky man."

"Well keep that thought; she is on her way up!"

The color drained out of Sheldon's face, "ON HER WAY UP!? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME! HIDE THE PRIZE!" The two scrambled around each other, getting in each other's way as they heard the door open.

Amy walked in the living room of her old apartment just in time to see her husband and son nearly dive across the couch to the shelf. Her voice halted the scramble towards the bronze medallion, "So, Dr. Cooper, what have you and your brilliant mind been up to all night?" Amy walked toward the two men who were instinctively backing up to cover the white board.

"Nothing! Just comic book stuff… Nothing you'd care to discuss…No Thor this time…" Sheldon swallowed nervously. Amy knew all about the experiment as Sheldon and Nic had spoken of nothing else over dinner for the past year till finally, she had had to forbid experiment discussions during dinner time. Though she found the idea of alternate universes intriguing, she knew that Sheldon would have no idea what would be brought over from the different dimensions: unknown diseases, or fungus or worse, some psychopath. So she had made Sheldon promise not to involve Nic in any experiment. Though Sheldon had felt and said, that she was a worry wort, he had kept his promise. However he still worried that he was now in trouble.

Amy smirked at Sheldon's twitching and blinking, "And there is the answer to the question, why does Sheldon Cooper lose every poker game."

Nic chimed in, "AND COUP! Dad sucks at that game. Don't forget. Oh and Diplomacy too!"

"Not helping, son.." Sheldon glowered at his offspring, who backed away from him towards his mother. He stood next to his mom with a wide nervous smile and Sheldon thought, " _smart boy… I'd switch sides too if it would get me out of trouble_."

Amy scanned the scene like a CSI investigator sans luminol. Everything looked the same as it had the last time Amy had stepped into Sheldon's Man Cave. She adored teasing him about keeping 4A, but secretly, she LOVED that he had kept the apartment. It was money well spent to keep all his Toys out of the house, but also she knew that he needed it. Speaking of toys, his large grey Death Star seemed to be smoking, Aha - Amy had literally found the smoking gun.

She sucked in her side cheek, and walked slowly over to the device. "I see… Cold fusion, Death Stars and my stolen Nobel behind your back… You.. my dear sweet baboo, have been up to no good!" Amy winked at him, and glided behind him like a dancer. With a swift motion, she grabbed her Nobel, and gave Sheldon a kiss on the cheek.

"I need to lock this up." She walked over to white board, but her stride was interrupted by Nic's cell phone ringing the tone for his girlfriend. He read the text with a large smile that showed his perfect teeth.

"Oh… It's Emma. See ya!" Nic rushed toward the door.

Sheldon was crest fallen, "Nic! What about what we were talking about? YOU KNOW…" Sheldon tipped his head toward the white board.

"Tell me later dad! Gotta go!" Nic rushed out the door and not waiting for the elevator, he tore off down the stairs.

Sheldon pouted and grumbled to Amy, "Are you sure he's my kid? He seems more like Leonard every day."

Amy smirked, "I assure you, there is no universe where I am with Leonard." Amy walked over and put her one hand on the white board causing Sheldon to wince. The other hand she placed on her hip and then winked at Sheldon, "Speaking of alternate universes… Did it work?"

"You clever minx, you knew I did it, didn't you?" Sheldon sauntered over to Amy and wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her close to him and away from the white board.

"Of course! I mean, why else would you have my Nobel?"

"Um…It reminds me of you?" Sheldon pulled back and flashed a cheesy grin, which caused Amy's eyes to roll.

"Ha! Try again. Anyway, enough of this! You have to tell me everything." Amy gave him a peck on the cheek, disentangled herself and went to the kitchen to fix them some sandwiches and a pot of tea. She was as excited as Sheldon, and knew it was going to be a long story.

As they sat on the couch eating and drinking, Sheldon told Amy every single thing he could remember about the other Sheldon's and what they had said, though he did leave out certain details, like the mutual admiration of Amy's appealing posterior for one. She was as engrossed in the stories as Sheldon, and was amazed at how much of the night had revolved around her and her alternate copies.

"Geez, Sheldon. Do you think this number Four will be okay? I just want to give him a hug and maybe a sandwich."

"He'll be fine. They all will." Sheldon glowered at her, "And no hugging. You're my Amy and I won't share you or your tasty sandwiches with anyone, not even versions of me." Sheldon leaned over and kissed the top of her head breathing in her heavenly scent. _Clementine_. She was still as sweet as the day he had met her.

Amy scooted closer to Sheldon and cuddled into his chest. They often spent the evening talking over the day's events with Amy's arms snaked around his body. "I still can't believe it. You say you were the only one with children? Why?"

"Number Two has one on the way. His Amy is 7 months on and he met her in 2007. From what I heard, they had hard time getting pregnant. Not like our first time!" Sheldon raised his brows at Amy, and she blushed and smiled. She wanted to know everything about the copies of her husband, and their Amy's.

"Well, we had our own brand of troubles, but tell me…" Amy smiled, "Was he as nervous as you when I was 7 months." Sheldon was only 22 when Amy was that far along. He fussed on her, treated her like an invalid, and barely let her feet touch the ground. The only thing worse was her second pregnancy when both Sheldon and his mother doted on her like she had a terminal disease.

Sheldon shook his head, "Oh, far worse. I was a pillar of composure compared to that guy. The rest weren't quite ready for children, yet. It seems number One and Four met you in 2010, and number Three only met you a few months ago. I was the only one who met you at Harvard. The only one with children and the only one with a Nobel. It just proves my theory."

Amy sat up and asked, "What theory?"

Sheldon tucked a strand of her long hair that had fallen out of her loose bun behind her ear. Her hair was still as long as the day he had met her and Sheldon loved it. He ran his fingers gently down her soft face savoring her skin. He drew in a breath and sighed out, "I am everything I am today because of you. I saw what life would be like tonight without you, or if I had met you later. The path I was on would have led to me a lonely self-absorbed life. You have supported me, guided me, helped me more than I ever realized. Meeting you, dare I say the providence of it, was the best thing that has ever happened to me."

Amy leaned over and kissed his cheek. He was still as handsome in her eyes, as he had been that first day she had seen him and called him a "hormone raging stud muffin." Over the years, he had filled out a little, and his shoulders had broadened, but he had kept his angelic face, it was as if time had stopped for him. He had been her first friend, her only lover and the person who knew her better than anyone. "Sounds like you saved me from a life of loneliness as well. I would love to have met a room full of Amy's. I know I would be the luckiest of them all."

"A room full of Amy's huh? I like the sound of that…" Sheldon hummed into Amy's neck, but she pushed him away with a glare of her emerald eyes.

"Forget it! You got the best one, and leave it at that."

Sheldon kissed her forehead, "That's for sure!" He looked into her eyes and let out a relieved sigh.

"I'm proud of you, Sheldon." She said softly as she placed her hand on his face, cupping it with a little tap to his temple as she had always done. He got the same touch when he had won his Nobel, became head of the physics department and now for his experiment. He leaned into her tender touch and closed his eyes for a moment to relish the feel.

He popped his eyes open as he realized something, and said, as he bit his bottom lip with a huge grin, "So, does that mean I am not in trouble for doing the experiment?"

Amy drew in a breath and said, "You did what I asked, you didn't involve Nic even though it was his idea, and I know that was hard."

Sheldon let out breath, "It was. I wanted him here, but you said it might be dangerous. I would never risk him."

Amy smiled, but her face still showed worry, "Thank you for that, but you could have been hurt as well. That husky Sheldon sounded so angry at number One!"

"Oh, he was fine. Just jealous of our good fortunes, that's all. I can't blame him." Sheldon shrugged, "Besides, you're way scarier than any ol' muscle bound Sheldon." Sheldon smiled, then noticed Amy wasn't listening and had a thoughtful look on her face.

Amy ran her tongue over her lips, "He sounded… so ….strong…. and bold… and… Hoo…"

It was now Sheldon's turn to glare, "Okay, there is no way you are ever meeting him! Or that silver tongued devil number Three! Not with your long goddess hair and alluring bedonkadonk. I **forbid** it!" He pulled her onto his chest and wrapped his arms around her body sealing her to him.

"Okay, but I **forbid** you doing this again!" Amy looked up at Sheldon with a teasing twinkle. She knew he hated it when she forbid anything but he had started it. Then she dropped her playfulness and said with deep concern, "Sheldon, please. I won't risk you. No more experiments, please."

Sheldon hesitated, biting his lip as he thought of an out, "Okay… No more _in person_ experiments."

"Sheldon…." Amy lowered tone should have been warning enough, but Sheldon had other ideas.

"Well… what if I can make so that I only **see** them?"

"Why would you want to do that?"

Amy shifted her weight so she could see Sheldon's eyes. He seemed wistful, with a hint of concern. He had had the same look on his face the first day of Marie's school and when Nic went off to camp.

"Maybe… Mom could say a few words to number Six."

"Your mother would say it was an unholy abomination and go to church for a month."

"Oh, she does that about everything. Besides, I just want to make sure they are all okay. I hope number Four talks to his Amy and number Two has a baby coming. If number One's Amy is a nice as you, maybe he can get over being a callous jerk face."

"You really care about them, don't you?" Amy smiled at her tenderhearted husband.

Sheldon shrugged his shoulders, "Yeah… well… They're me. Not every Sheldon can be as fortunate as I am." Sheldon licked his lips and looked at Amy's moving closer to her. Amy knew the look she was getting very well and couldn't hide her smile.

"Or as handsome." She played with his shirt and outlined the logo of number 73 with her fingers. Her touch was electrifying Sheldon.

"True… they all didn't have my style, or glaring good looks, that is for sure."

"Or as humble…" Amy added with a wink after Sheldon glared at her, "or as witty."

"That's a given." Sheldon drew his fingers along her carotid artery to her clavicle. Amy was shivering. It had been quite a while since he had touched her like this. He had been wrapped up in this latest project and between that and Amy's own duties, the couple had barely seen each other in three weeks. Amy's body tingled with each stroke of his hand.

"Or as adept with that one thing you do with your…" Before Amy could finish, Sheldon's lips were attached to Amy's neck in the same spot he had given her the hickeys so long ago. Sheldon had long discovered Amy's weak spots that could stop any argument, any words. Amy leaned back and arched her neck with a low hum and growl. "Yeah… that…"

Sheldon pulled Amy's tops from her skirt and moved his hands beneath them feeling her smooth skin. His hot breath on her neck and roaming hands were enough to melt her body like hot clay under the noon day sun. Amy shifted her face so she could capture his wandering mouth. They paused for a moment looking at each other and then impatiently started to rip off their clothing.

Amy looked at Sheldon's undershirt as she struggled with her clothes, "I thought that one had a stain?"

"I got it out. Grape juice has no power over me." Sheldon roughly kissed her neck while pulling at her sweater, "…remind to get more grape juice…"

Amy was near purring, "And we need milk too. Oh… oh my word, you have always been better than any vacuum."

"Don't forget it… Now get off this cardigan!" Sheldon pulled at her favorite sweater nearly popping the buttons, but Amy just pulled it over her head and threw in on the floor.

As Sheldon was scrambling to get off his pants, he thought to ask, "Marie?" Sheldon pulled off his socks with a swift tug.

"At Penny's" Amy pulled off her undershirt and started to struggle with her tights trying to pull them off before she had kicked off her shoes as Sheldon was fumbling with her bra.

"Not that stupid Voice show again."

"Yes, Marie is teaching Penny how to sing so she doesn't sound like a dying cat."

"Oh sweet Jesus." Sheldon started to tug at Amy's tights to help, "Its summer for god sake, woman! Can't you wear less than 20 layers of clothes here!?"

"Shh… get these damn boxers off before I rip them open!"

Finally they were both naked, bound together in a moaning mass writhing in a rippling motion within a minute of the first kiss. From memory alone, they knew all their partner's sensitive spots, the taste of their skin, but each time they made love, it felt as new as the first time in that old castle like dorm room. Sheldon knew every moan she made, and what caused them, but still after 15 years, she could surprise him.

Amy flipped Sheldon over and straddled him. Sheldon growled as she positioned herself with ease to surround him. He held onto her handle like hips and slid into her deeper. Amy had a steady slow rhythm, but Sheldon knew what she really liked. Slow at first, and fast and furious at the end. He obliged her, grasping her hips and pulsing into her with every ounce of strength he could muster. Amy arched back with purr, her hair had fallen out the loose bun she had it bound in, and now her long brown locks cascaded down her back and around her hips. The glory of her pushed Sheldon over the edge as she let out squeal, a shudder, a few seconds of silence with wide eyes, then a low whimpering moan and collapsed on his chest.

As the couple lay together on the leather couch, gently stroking each other's skin, Sheldon thought back to their first meeting at Harvard so long ago. How things could have been different if he had never been forced to go to there. He had had 15 more years with what some people would call his soul mate. Lucky was too flaccid a word to describe how Sheldon felt.

Eventually, not needing to ask, they headed towards the shower together. As the couple washed each other, they exchanged ideas on how to go forward with producing the results of the experiment. Though Sheldon had wanted to work on the paper with Nic as co-author, as soon as they had picked him up from his girlfriend's, Amy had persuaded him to let Nic have a little bit of his summer to spend with his friends, and Sheldon reluctantly agreed.

Sheldon and Amy finished their shower and after they dressed, Penny called to say Marie and she were going shopping and not to expect their daughter for a few days.

"Why can't they have their own kid? It's not like she and Leonard don't have enough coitus to pop out a soccer team! We never get to see Marie on the weekends anymore thanks to Penny and this obsession with America's Voice Talent show!"

"Oh, you ol fuddy duddy! Let them be. Marie is helping Penny with all the new medical terminology for her job by putting it all to a song. It's been good for them!"

Sheldon whined, "Fine, but it would be nice to see my own kid a bit more! We never get to go Kite flying anymore! I want to win back my battle Kitra of Doom!"

With a condescending grin, Amy tapped Sheldon's shoulder, "Honey, I don't think that will happen, but Marie said you could try and win it back if you could beat her in Chinese Boggle."

Sheldon slumped down, "I'll never get back my kite…"

Sheldon put the white board, the Death Star away in the closet with a hint of regret. It was the only working device in the world. It would be three more years before it was brought out again.

As they left the apartment, Sheldon gave one more look to the room that had changed his life forever, with a melancholy smile.

Amy shook her head, and nudged him to close the door, "Come on Professor, it will still be here for your Star Wars marathon with the guys next week. Though I have to say, I think two Star Wars weekends in one month is a little much."

Sheldon locked the door, and headed to the elevator, "Oh Amy, May the Fourth is a holiday, so that doesn't count. Although, I might change next week to Firefly weekend."

"WOW, Sheldon! Changing plans? That is so unlike you."

"A change in plans is what has made our lives so great. But I still like routine. Speaking of which, isn't tonight spaghetti with little hot dogs night?" Sheldon virtually skipped out of the building and held the car door open for Amy as she approached.

"Yeah… But I am really craving Palak Paneer!" Amy smiled, tapped his face with her hand, and got in the car. Sheldon closed the door slowly and when she was out of ear shot let out a breath.

"Oh dear lordy! I need to find that Baby Bjorn Sling!"

* * *

 **A/N: All the science stuff is completely made up, folks But hey, we can dream.. I got the idea from an article entitled:** **Theorists propose an experiment to observe a "phoniton," a novel hybrid of an electron and a quantum of vibration in a crystal lattice.**

 **Next up... What happened with FOUR?!**


	14. Ch14 Hint of Strawberry & Touch of hope

**Chapter 14**

 **Epilogue Sheldon 4**

 **Six Sheldons:** **Hint of Strawberries and a Touch of Hope**

 **Thanks so much to Shamy4evr!**

* * *

 **Here is the recap:**

 **Sheldon One: He is the Sheldon from the Show. This story takes place minutes after the Skype call ended from the Finale.**

 **Sheldon Two: He is from my Big Reversal Theory: The Vixen in 4B story. You just found out he proposed in 2010. He is marred in 2011.**

 **Sheldon Three: He is the Sheldon who had a one night stand with Amy after meeting her in the theater.**

 **Sheldon Four: He broke up with Amy over the Table incident in Season 7 and hasn't been with her since.**

 **Sheldon Five: This is the Sheldon from my Caustic Cohabitation Conundrum. He is the one who met Amy when he was 21 at Harvard. This is 15 years later and he is a proud parent.**

 **Sheldon Six: Non-believer. More of his story will unfold later. We just found out he was raised by his father and helped his sister with her baby when he was only 18. He still thinks this congress of Sheldon's is just a dream and he wants to wake up.**

* * *

Sheldon Four blinked and when he opened his eyes, the other Sheldon's were gone. Number Six had just berated Number One for treating Amy the way he did, but Sheldon couldn't help have a tinge of jealousy. At least number One still had his Amy. They were together, going on dates, getting turtles, planning their future together on distant worlds. She had stuck by him, despite the fact that he was just as much of an ass as he was himself. Sheldon had now seen what his future could have been, and saw how he had ruined it.

Sheldon remembered what number One had done differently than he did: he had kissed Amy on that Valentine's day trip on the train. When number One had tried to break up with her over the table, that kiss had given her hope and as a result she had fought for him, had refused to give up and had forgiven him again and again, and so had eventually helped him acknowledge his true feelings for her.

But he had not kissed his Amy on that train, she had received no indication from him that he cared, and in fact, all she had received from him was distain for her feelings about him. She knew nothing about his feelings for her. As far as she was aware, he had none, and he had been proud to prove that point her by throwing her hopes for their future back in her face. No wonder she had turned to another man.

Was it better for her without him in her life? If he loved her, and he realized now that he did, in fact more than his own breath, he should let her go. Isn't that what Sheldon Six had screamed at number One? Should Sheldon let her have her happy life rather than be tied down to his selfish callous ways? He had to know.

He grabbed his coat and headed to the new comic book store. Stuart had had the grand opening, but Sheldon had not attended. However it was a year since the original store had burnt down and Stuart had invited his friends for a small get together. Sheldon had received his invitation, but again just the thought of seeing Stuart's his smug face had made Sheldon sick.

Leonard had long since given up trying to persuade him to go anywhere. In fact after prom, his friendship with Leonard and Penny was strained. Actually to say strained was kind, the friendship was nearly over.

Sheldon blamed Penny for Amy's personality changing. He didn't want Penny in the apartment anymore and banned her from meals. When Leonard protested, Sheldon had told him to go eat with Penny at the local bar, since that was her second home.

So the gang stopped eating together at 4A. Leonard moved across the hall after a huge fight when Sheldon had told Leonard what he really thought of his blushing blond bride. Sheldon spat his displaced anger filled venom at Leonard and said that the only reason she was blushing was because she was probably hopped up on bible juice. He had added that Penny was useless, stupid and had been nothing but a distraction to Leonard for years. She was the reason Leonard had never made any strides in science, and her stupidity was rubbing off on him. She was one acting job offer from leaving him anyway, and he was wasting his time with her. Leonard was so incensed by Sheldon's rant that he had moved out that night after telling Sheldon to enjoy his pathetic lonely life.

Sheldon boarded the Pasadena Bus to the comic store and took his usual seat in the back. He had become accustomed to riding the public transport since no former friend of his would take him anywhere unless it was the airport to leave.

As he watched the lights of the city stream past his face, he reflected on what the other Sheldon's had said about how Amy was worth it. She was worth the pain, the discomfort and anxiety. Amy Farrah Fowler had helped them reach heights he could only imagine and had picked them up from lows he had only in nightmares. As he rode that nearly empty bus, he thought back to her smile, and the only thing he wanted now was to see it again. He didn't expect a welcome, or to replace her new boyfriend. Amy had moved on from him. He just needed to see her genuine smile, to know that she was happy. That was all he needed.

Sheldon arrived at the comic book store, but did not go in. Instead he stayed outside, and spied on the occupants not wanting anyone to see him. It had been over 5 months since he had seen Amy, and more than a year since that fateful Valentine's Train trip.

Stuart was at the register and Raj and Emily were looking over a zombie head statue. Leonard and Howard were combing through the comic stacks. Penny and Bernadette must have been in the back, because he couldn't see them, but he wasn't Interested in them. He only wanted to see one person.

Sheldon scanned the scene, and then his breath caught in this throat: There in the corner was Amy. Her face was down turned, and her shoulders slumped. Sheldon watched in pain as Stuart crossed the store to stand next to her.

As soon as Stuart approached her, Amy put a slight grin on her face. Sheldon watched as she laughed at what he said, and spoke to him with mien of kindness. Sheldon couldn't hear a word, but the scene was enough to convince him Amy was content. He turned his head and slammed his eyes shut. Despite what he had thought before, he couldn't face seeing her so happy with Stuart. It was as if someone had driven a red hot poker through his chest.

He couldn't watch the tranquil scene anymore, but before he left he stole one more look. He saw Stuart leave Amy's side and watched as her face dropped again with the serine smile vanishing as if it had never been.

Sheldon should have left, but he couldn't take his eyes off the woman who held part of his soul in her hands. He watched as she walked over the display of shirts hanging on the wall. Amy walked slowly by each shirt her head still down, then suddenly she stopped, and looked up at the red Flash shirt on display. She put her hand up to feel the cotton and traced her finger around the logo. Sheldon could see her lips quiver slightly, but she sucked them in and squinted her eyes shut. Someone must have called her name, because she quickly retracted her hand and put her faux smile back. She stole one more glance at Red Shirt, and slowly walked to the other side of the store, as if her feet were made of lead.

Sheldon turned away from the scene and walked up the darkened street, past his bus stop, and the next one. As he walked he thought about what he had lost in the last six months. He career was faltering since he had not had one good idea in a year. His childhood idol was gone, his best friend hated him, and the comic book store was home to his sworn enemy. Then he stopped, and realized all those things were still there, but he just wasn't a part of them anymore. Professor Proton had visited him in his dreams to give advice, but he never listened. Professor Proton had told him to appreciate those around him, but Sheldon had told Professor Proton that dressing up like a Jedi was a cheap trick and he should leave his dreams and never return. Professor Proton had listened, and Sheldon hadn't had a dream since.

 _Appreciate them._ That was the last thing he said to him. That's what Amy had said to him as well. He didn't appreciate her. She had been right, in fact. He hadn't valued her, or cherished her mere presence. Those little smiles that she gave him when he was being witty were gone. The times she defended him were gone. She was really and finally he could admit, he did regret leaving her. It was stabbing feeling in his chest that he had been ignoring for months. None of the other Sheldon's understood his pain, or even had a taste of it. All except One, who only felt the feeling for mere seconds before the congress convened, and it seemed enough to cripple him.

Number Five had seemed so happy, content and calm. He had an aura around him that exuded confidence, and though number Three was a love sick teenager, he had had it too. So did number Two. Then he remembered how bitter and angry number Six had seemed. He was glad his anger had been turned toward number One and not him. That guy was off the rails, and it was disturbing to see himself so angry. But then Sheldon remembered that number Six had had no one, not even his mother. He never had Amy or even Leonard t support him or help him through the years. He didn't even wear a shirt with a comic book character, just some long sleeved shirt with no joy. That was Sheldon's future and he knew it now more than ever. He would be just like number Six: Alone, bitter and unloved.

Finally, he stopped at a bus stop to catch his breath. He was half way home, but his legs didn't work as well as they used to. He had lost over 20 pounds in the last year and walking was a strain. He let his memory wander through all the times he had had with Amy. He tasted every bitter word he had ever spoken to her on his tongue again. He tried to think, in an alternate universe, what would he say differently, or how he might do it in a different way. Some cases, he still had no idea why she was so angry. Other times, he knew. In his gut he knew he was pushing her away, but never so far that she would leave him. Till that one time he pushed too hard. There was no string of love to pull her back to him he hadn't woven it for her yet.

Sheldon became cold thinking of the things he could have said. He held his jaw which still stung from the blow that number Three had given him. He wished Amy had hit him, to knock some sense in him. He let out a sorrow filled chuckle as he remembered that she had struck him and it still hadn't been enough. He still hadn't understood he was wrong then. Sitting on that bus bench, finally he got it. He had lost her, and it hurt more than he thought possible. His chest tightened, and the feeling in his throat made him feel as if he would choke on his own air. The tears falling on his hands were the only warmth on them. Then Sheldon felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Leonard's worried frown and furrowed brow.

"Hey buddy, you okay?" Leonard stood next to him near the bench and cocked his head to watch his former friend. Sheldon looked lost, confused, and broken.

Sheldon rubbed the back of his hand against his face to wipe away the tears, "Yeah, I'm just waiting for the bus. It's late."

"Yeah, buddy, it is. It's 2:30 in the morning. You been here long?"

"I came at 7:00. I went to see the new store. But Amy was there with her new boyfriend." Sheldon wanted to sound angry, but he just sounded wounded. He looked up at Leonard, not realizing that he had not stopped crying. His tears dripped back into his ear as he looked up at him, "I just could not face that."

"Come on, buddy. Let me take you home." Sheldon rose off the bench but almost fell over from weakness. Leonard hooked his arm around his waist and helped him to the car. "Come on. Almost there."

Though Sheldon held onto Leonard, he couldn't believe he was there. "Leonard, I thought you hated me after what I said about Penny. I thought we weren't friends anymore." Sheldon looked away as he remembered with shame the vile things he had said to Leonard.

"I hate what you said, but we have always been friends, you would not let any of us near you. Besides…" He smiled at him, "Who do you think told me to find you?"

Sheldon's eyes lit up, "Penny?"

"Yeah. She saw you outside the comic book store as you turned to leave. When we got home we wanted to check on you, but you weren't there. She's worried sick about you, Sheldon. Now come on, let's go back home."

He walked Sheldon to the car, helped him in and buckled him up. While he went around the car, he sent a quick text to Penny. " _GOT HIM. YOU WERE RIGHT. ITS BAD_."

Penny texted back, " _AS BAD AS AMY_?"

" _WORSE. MUCH WORSE_."

Leonard got in the car and turned on the heater. He gave Sheldon a drink of the tea he had brought him just in case he found him. Thank god, he had thought to keep that tracker on the phone. He let the car heat up as well as his friend. "Sheldon, just so you know, Amy's not with Stuart. They are just friends, nothing more."

Sheldon swallowed the tea and gave Leonard a shocked look, "But they went to Prom together and there's that ritual..."

Leonard turned the heater to hit Sheldon's near blue hands, "That was just one time, Sheldon. I don't know what ritual you are talking about, but Amy left early that night. She didn't even stay to dance. This is the first Amy's been out of the house with us since then. She has just locked herself away in her work and has refused to see any of us for months."

Sheldon chewed on his upper lip, plotting his next move, "Leonard, take me to Amy's."

"Sheldon! It's almost 3 o'clock in the morning! Amy's asleep. I'll take you tomorrow, I promise." He started the car, but Sheldon undid his seat belt and tried to get out. He stumbled to the curb and then collapsed on this hands and knees. The gravel of the dirty sidewalk dug into his palms, but he didn't notice. He had to get to Amy. He sat back on his legs and tried to push himself up, but Leonard was there to help him.

"Sheldon! Please, let me take you home." He held out his hand to Sheldon who grasped it but didn't get up.

He looked Leonard in the eye, with a resolve Leonard had never seen before, and begged him, "Please Leonard. Take me to Amy's. I've wasted enough time, please."

"Okay… Buddy. Okay." Leonard helped Sheldon off the ground and got him back into the car. He was silent on the road to Amy's. Sheldon looked out the window and remembered all the times Leonard had driven him to her house. He had no idea what he was going to say to her, or do, but he had to see her again. Everything was telling him to go there. It was as if the woven thread had already been spun, and he had just now felt its pull.

Leonard drove to the front of the building, and Sheldon climbed out,

"Leonard, would you mind waiting, Amy may not want to talk to me."

"Sure buddy, just let me know."

Sheldon headed to the elevator and the third floor. He approached the door he had knocked on so many times. Before he could knock, he put his hand up to outline the numbers 314 with his fingers. He pulled his hand away quickly and took a deep breath through his nose. He knocked on the door in his customary fashion. He heard movement on the other side, then the door swung open and she was standing there before him.

Amy was wearing her striped nightgown, but it had none of the wrinkles from sleep. Her eyes were red, and the dark circles under them looked almost permanent. She chewed her lip for a moment to hide her pain, and said flatly, "What do you want?"

"Today is the day, Amy." Sheldon tipped his head down, waiting for the strike he knew he deserved, but it never came.

Amy looked at him exhausted and slumped against the doorframe, "What day, Sheldon?"

"The day I realize what I lost. And you were right. It hurts." Sheldon put his hand on his chest and one on the door frame. "Oh god, Amy. It's hurts."

Amy hadn't seen Sheldon since Prom, and even then she could tell he had lost weight, but not like this. She hadn't seen him so thin since she had first met him, and his figure now he was even thinner. His face was gaunt with his bony cheek bones showing a deep shadow. His arms looked like sticks and his clothes were bags. Without a thought, she reached for him and pulled him into the apartment.

Sheldon held onto her, wrapping his arms around her waist and sobbing into her shoulder. He couldn't stop shaking from the tears. Amy supported him as best she could, but he was beginning to collapse. She guided him over to the couch, sat him down and covered him with her crocheted afghan. Then she went to the kitchen and fixed him a cup hot tea with lemon. She brought it back to him and held it up to his lips to drink. After the warm liquid hit his stomach, he stopped shaking and his breathing settled.

Amy sat next to him on the couch and ran her fingers through his hair as she asked him, "Its 3 o'clock in the morning, how did you get here"

"Leonard drove me, he is downstairs waiting. I needed to see you, talk to you."

Amy sighed, "Tell him to go home, I will drive you back later." The fact he hadn't stopped her tender touch was curious.

As Sheldon texted Leonard, his mind was racing. He had no speech practiced, or apology rehearsed. He looked across the couch at the woman he had thrown away. She was thinner as well, but the most drastic difference was that her shoulders seemed to droop so much more it was as if she had folded in on herself. In fact, she had. Going out with the group had all but stopped for Amy. She couldn't bear to go to Los Robles anymore.

She was just now starting to get a modicum of confidence back and had used it plus all the strength she could muster to go to the comic book store last night. The last person she had expected or wanted to see was Sheldon. However, he looked so fragile and broken that she nearly forgot her anger.

He tilted his head toward her hand that now rested on his shoulder and said quietly, "You were right. What you said… I don't deserve you. I never did."

"I shouldn't have said that. The word deserve hints at obligation and reward. I never did anything for you with the expectation of a reward. I did it because I cared." She let her hand run through his hair one more time, "God help me, I still do."

Sheldon put down his tea and shifted to face Amy, "I never should have called you a tramp. I never thought that of you, ever. I never should have said those things to you. I'm so sorry, Amy. But mostly." Sheldon inched toward her, "I never should have let you get off that train without doing this."

Sheldon leaned over the couch, bracing his weight on his palms. He drew in a quick breath, and pressed his lips against her mouth.

Amy's lips were hardened with anger and pain. Sheldon's lips were quivering with fear and regret, but he didn't stop. He leaned in and pressed his lips further onto hers with slightly more movement. He was shocked that he was not afraid. That feeling was gone and had been replaced with hope. Sheldon moved even closer to her, he placed his hand on her thigh and wrapped his other around her shoulder. The once awkward kiss became so natural, that soon a growing calm befell them. They relaxed into the kiss and let it bloom and brush away their anger and fears. Only when they needed air, did Sheldon pull back and open his eyes.

He saw that Amy's eyes were still closed as if the last minute was a dream and she didn't want to wake up. But her cheeks were blushed with a peach hue. When she finally opened her eyes, Sheldon had to catch his breath. A small green spark of life had returned to her eyes. He couldn't help but smile.

"I should have done that 6 months ago."

Amy let out a long sigh, "You should have done that 2 years ago."

Sheldon tipped his head, "Again… you're right."

"One kiss isn't going to do it, Sheldon. You need to know that. I won't let you treat me like that. I don't even know if you are here because you missed me or because you are upset your routine is disrupted." Amy pulled her body to inch away from him, but kept her hand near his.

Sheldon reached for her hand and held it as he said, "I'm here…. Because I love you."

Amy who spent the last six months hiding her feelings couldn't believe him. Not that phrase and certainly not from him. She ripped her hand away and held her face as if he had slapped her, "Oh Sheldon, how could possibly think you love me. You've done nothing in four years that would indicate that you do. In fact, you have actively avoided ANY discussion what so ever of feelings, romantic or otherwise."

Sheldon answered her as if it was the most obvious thing in the world to him, "Strawberries."

Amy folded her shoulders up again and let out an exhausted sigh, "What?"

"It's the only thing I can eat. It's the only thing that makes me happy. I eat strawberries and I feel better. Like a wave of comfort has washed over me. For the last month I think that's all I've eaten."

Amy looked annoyed, "What does that have to do with anything Sheldon?"

He smiled and grabbed her hand, pulling her into his chest. Amy fell on his like a rag doll, not reacting or pulling away. He wrapped his arms around her and placed his head on hers. He kissed the top of her head and drew in a deep soul penetrating breath.

"You smell like strawberries. You are the only thing that makes me happy. Makes me calm. You give me focus when I can't see through the haze of my mind. You push when I need it and are always there if I stumble. The only thing that brought me any joy in the six months is the fragrance of you." Sheldon held on to Amy's lifeless body and drank her scent.

Then he felt it: her arm and the brush of her hand as she leaned into him. She wrapped her arms around his frail body and closed her eyes. The overwhelming scent of Talc hit every one of her scent receptors. It was the first time she could smell talc and not cry. No other words were needed at the moment, as the exhausted couple held onto each other as they fell asleep on the couch.

The next morning, the light of the day and the crick in Sheldon's neck woke him. His movements also woke Amy and she sat up quickly. They were both quiet and pensive as the cloud of sleep left their minds. She offered Sheldon the use of the shower while she prepared breakfast. Sheldon had to put on his previous night's clothes, but at least he was clean. He came out of the bath to find Amy in the kitchen, just putting the plate down.

"Come on, mister. Time to eat."

Sheldon whined, "Oh Amy, I'm not hungry…"

"Don't give me that, come on." Amy snapped her fingers and pointed to the chair at the kitchen table. Sheldon dropped into it. He was not used to eating much lately, but whatever she had cooked did start to make his mouth water.

Amy brought over a plate with an omelet, bacon and French Toast, with butter and syrup. She also put a glass of milk in front of him. "Do you want the syrup or the powder Quik Sheldon?"

"Is it strawberry?"

Amy smiled, "Of course!"

"Syrup, Amy. It tastes better." Sheldon smiled and took a small bite of his food, and then another and then another until the plate was clean, then another plate and two more glasses of milk with strawberry quik. Amy beamed and watched it all. They were silent, just getting used to the sight of each other on the other side of the table.

Finally, when Sheldon had eaten her entire breakfast food supply, Amy excused herself to the shower. While she dressed, Sheldon texted Leonard that he was still at Amy's. Leonard texted him back saying he was very happy for him and he that would see him later. He also asked if he would like him to bring over Chinese tonight. Sheldon answered wholeheartedly, yes. Then he added to himself _, I hope he doesn't screw up the chicken order. It's been too long…_

Amy emerged from the bath dressed and coiffed. She sat on the couch but toward the side, not touching Sheldon. They both knew they needed to talk, but neither knew where to start.

Finally Amy had had enough of his nervous hand wringing and said, "Sheldon. I am not going to jump back into a relationship with you. You need to know that. I mean, I liked your kiss last night, but that was not enough. Just because you are now ready for a physical relationship, you cannot expect me to jump to your bidding. I have slowly learned that I don't need your affections to be a whole person, and that has taken me awhile."

Sheldon nodded and let her continue. Amy drew in breath and narrowed her eyes at him, yet she her tone was not as biting as she wished it would be. Just seeing him again was warming her. " You hurt me Sheldon, not only your actions in breaking up and your words at Prom, but the way you treated me before that. I am not ready to open myself up to that kind of hurt again. I cannot, I will not put up with that kind of treatment again. I respect myself too much for that."

Sheldon let out a sigh, wishing he could have one of the other Sheldon's win Amy back for him, and then he could take over. She would never know those doppelgangers weren't him. All but number Six who was obviously doing steroid experiments.

But who was he kidding, he thought. Amy would know the instant they opened their mouths, especially that hippy number Three. Sheldon knew he had to do this on his own. He was the real Sheldon after all, and he would not allow a shoddy copy to touch his woman.

It was up to him to win her back and it would be a long road back to the status quo. Sheldon didn't want status quo anymore. He wanted more and he realized that more was going to be hard for her to give, but at least she was talking to him.

"Amy, I know it will take time for us to get back to any state of normalcy. Not just for you to forgive me, but for me to learn how to be the man I need to be. I have so much to learn, and frankly, you are the only one who can teach me. The only one I trust."

"Why should I think this time will be different? Why should I risk it?" Amy jutted her jaw and glared at him.

Sheldon put a small smile on his face, "You have no idea how good we can be if we are together, Amy. I mean truly together, where I am as invested as you are. I am ready for that now, and I know we can be strongest relationship. If I can learn to half as good a boyfriend as you were a girlfriend for me, well then little lady, we would be unstoppable."

Amy let out a chuckle and continued to glare at him, "I am NOT going to be your girlfriend again, so good luck with that!"

"Proposal. You go on a date with me. Maybe dinner, dancing, we could take in a prize fight?" Sheldon raised his appealing brows, but Amy shook her head and grinned.

"Hey pal, that's the line you used on Penny to ask her for a date when you wanted to make me jealous. Who are you trying to make jealous, Sheldon?"

Sheldon thought back to the evening with the other Sheldons, "I can think of 5 guys that I would like to make jealous. Amy I want our relationship to be so great, so superior to everyone's that we make everyone jealous of us. I am going to work on it, but I can't do it without your help. I need you help me win you back. Frankly, I need to hire you on a retainer as a consultant for how to woo Amy Farrah Fowler." Sheldon put his head down then popped his eyes up with a smile. "What's your hourly rate?"

Amy snorted, "Far more than you can pay."

Sheldon moved closer to her, "Give me a number here."

"Oh brother…Just listen to me, that's all. Care enough to try and change. You're getting off cheap."

Sheldon's smile widened, "Wonderful, more money for dates… Now about those…"

Amy chewed the inside of her lip, then said, "Well, first off … Prize fight. Aint gonna happen pal. I'm not picking you up off the floor when all that blood goes spurting around. Next, there is going to be quite a few dates before I am comfortable with us being a couple again." She was trying to be strong, but the look in his blue eyes was melting her, "That is if ever I do say I would go on one…"

"I can live with that, as long as I can see you. Will you come by the house for dinner again? I really need to have you next to me again Amy. I need that more than you will ever know." Sheldon chewed his bottom lip and swallowed. The loneliness of the last six months had been more difficult than he could ever have believed.

Amy drew in a jagged breath as she thought back to the days when the gang gathered for meals. She had missed that time, almost as much as Sheldon. She had felt that she had lost her friends when they broke up, though she knew that that had been of her own choosing. Months of solitude had hardened her heart but she had grown weary of being sad, bitter and alone. A meal with her friends sounded as good as a King's banquet.

"I can come to dinner again, Sheldon. But we are **not** a couple." Amy held her own hands again, but the grip was loosening. She cleared her throat and proclaimed, "We have a lot of ground to cover before I will even consider it."

Sheldon swallowed, "Um, there is this three date thing I heard about, we should discuss at some point." Sheldon pulled in his bottom lip and looked briefly at Amy, then looked away. Amy knew exactly what he was talking about.

"Sheldon! Are you talking about sex? Sheldon there is no way we have to deal with that! Not for a very **very** long time, if ever!"

Sheldon put his hand across the back of the back of the couch and leaned in toward Amy, "So give me a number here."

Amy put her hand on her chest, "Sheldon! I am not going to give you a number, I haven't even said yes to a date with you let alone set a time frame…" Amy whispered to Sheldon, "For coitus." Sheldon smiled at his shy girlfriend with the blushing face. How on earth he could ever have called this woman a tramp was beyond him. He really had been a clueless idiot as number Six had said.

Sheldon smiled and said, "Well I have just one question for you Amy. He then leaned forward and opened his eyes wide at her and she braced herself for what could come next after that statement.

Sheldon smiled, and said, "How about that ride home?"

"There he is! The old Sheldon Cooper I grew to love." Amy smiled then caught her words and her eyes darted around like they were on fire.

Sheldon leaned forward, grabbed her hand and smiled, "Yes, here I am. Here is my Amy, I finally realized I love."

Amy let out the breath she held. "Yes."

"Yes to what? The three date thing?"

Amy snorted at Sheldon's teasing, or what she thought was teasing, "Yes.. as I said last night, I will give you ride home." Amy rose off the couch and grabbed her purse. She headed toward the door with Sheldon following her, but before he reached the door, he grabbed Amy and pulled her by the waist toward him.

He leaned down as if he was going to kiss her, but he smelled her hair instead. Then he moved his mouth to her ear, and said softly, "Just so you know, when we do start dating again, I am putting kissing into the Relationship Agreement after every date night." He brushed his lips against her neck and added softly, "No time limit. You decide when the first date is Amy. I hope it's soon."

Amy let out a whimper as he let her go. He gave her a side smirk and headed out the door. Amy blinked a few times, and called back to him, "So, um… what kind of numbers were you thinking about then?"

Three years later.

"Sheldon! Dinner!" Leonard called back to Sheldon who was in his room. He seemed to take his time getting to the table. Leonard looked to Penny and whispered, "Not like him to miss ANY meals lately." He winked at her.

Penny tried to hide her grin, but a bellowing voice cut off her mirth, "I heard that! Just because I put on a few pounds doesn't mean I can't hear! Geez, haters gonna hate hate hate. Taylor was right!"

Sheldon came out of the hall from the bedroom. He had put on a little weight with a cute pot belly, but he had also bulked up his arms and shoulders as well. He was looking healthier than anyone had seen him, but that didn't mean the gang didn't miss a chance to tease him.

Sheldon settled in on his spot and said quietly, "What are you guys gonna say when Amy is as big as a house? She is eating for two now, and I won't have that kinda fat shaming talk around her!"

"Oh brother!" Amy came waddling down the hall from the bathroom, "And what were you saying to me earlier today, that I looked like a Beach ball with sticks. Besides it's you who have been putting away the red vines lately." Amy walked over to the couch and sat next to Sheldon, who smiled at her and put a hand on her growing belly, "NOW where's my PALAK PANEER!"

"Right here, Ames! Double portion." Penny handed Amy her dish with a wide smile.

Sheldon was brimming with pride as he gazed upon his beautiful wife shoving in creamed spinach like it was her last meal. Penny looked fondly at the couple in front of her.

It had been an uphill battle for Sheldon to gain Amy's trust again, often having to refer to the "consultant" to see what he had done or more likely said wrong. Eventually after six months, Amy had relented and agreed to go out on a proper date and though the first few of these had been awkward. Sheldon never gave up, and since that time had worn the look of contentment that was on his face at this minute.

Six months later, and a year after their reunion Sheldon had rented out the dance hall where they had tangoed before they were even dating. He asked Penny to tell her to dress up in her prom dress. Sheldon dressed handsomely in his tux and asked the guys to decorate the hall as they had done the roof for the Prom he should have taken her to instead of Stuart. Once Sheldon saw her enter the room, he nearly panicked, but he kept his cool and they danced the night away to Prom approved songs like "Lady in Red" and "Take my breath away." That was the first night they made love, and there was barely a night since they were not together. In fact Sheldon and Amy's romance had almost become a model for the group and Penny had a hard time fitting the mold.

Leonard had become so much more relaxed about things, and had stopped playing mother hen to Sheldon as soon as Amy had moved in him. However, Penny had other concerns rather than Leonard playing nursemaid to Sheldon.

No sooner had Amy moved in with Sheldon, then Sheldon was pushing to start a family, as he had so delicately put it, she was no spring chicken. Penny had heard Amy's raised voice through two front doors and the hallway that separated them, and Sheldon had had to call in the "consultant" again.

So after their trip to Texas, Sheldon and Amy were wed. Penny always suspected it was a shot gun wedding with Mary Cooper holding the rifle, but in fact it was Amy that needed convincing.

The comparative speed at their reunified relationship scared the life out of Penny. Here they were married before Penny and Leonard. Then as soon as Amy had declared that she was pregnant Leonard had been pestering Penny to set a date for their wedding. Still as long as he didn't start pushing her on babies, Penny was okay with how things were going. However, she feared that once Sheldon and Amy's little girl arrived, all bets were off.

That night as Sheldon curled up next to Amy, cradling their unborn child with his hands on her belly, he finally felt true happiness. He thought back to the meeting with the other Sheldons, they had taught him to let his guard down, the same guard that had told him never let anyone get too close and never allow a person to change you. Sheldon wondered what had been so different with him. Why had he rejected the prospect of love and commitment with a woman as wonderful as Amy? Why had he been the only one who had let her go out of all of them? He had truly realized the reason on the day he said "I do" to the woman laying beside him: He had wanted it more.

Once Sheldon had fully committed to Amy, he understood what he was afraid of all along. That he would need her too much. He had pushed her away to protect himself, but he had been a fool. He had never needed to push her away, only to draw her near, and every night as he lies with her like this he knew: He really was the luckiest of all the Sheldon's.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Whacha think? I'd love to know! Was I too nice to poor ol' four?**

 **Next up: One! Can he pull it off? Did he listen at all?**

 **After that, one more epilogue then the story is done folks!**


	15. Chapter 15: One is the Loneliest Numbe

**Chapter 15:**

 **Epilogue for Sheldon 1**

 **Six Sheldons: One is the Loneliest Number**

 **Thanks so much to Shamy4evr for being the best Beta!**

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 **Here is the recap:**

 **Sheldon One: He is the Sheldon from the Show. This story takes place minutes after the Skype call ended from the Finale.**

 **Sheldon Two: He is from my Big Reversal Theory: The Vixen in 4B story. You just found out he proposed in 2010. He is marred in 2011.**

 **Sheldon Three: He is the Sheldon who had a one night stand with Amy after meeting her in the theater.**

 **Sheldon Four: He broke up with Amy over the Table incident in Season 7 and hasn't been with her since.**

 **Sheldon Five: This is the Sheldon from my Caustic Cohabitation Conundrum. He is the one who met Amy when he was 21 at Harvard. This is 15 years later and he is a proud parent.**

 **Sheldon Six: Non-believer. More of his story will unfold later. We just found out he was raised by his father and helped his sister with her baby when he was only 18. He still thinks this congress of Sheldon's is just a dream and he wants to wake up.**

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 **A/N: This was written** **way** **before the premier of Season 9. Then I saw the taping of S9 ep2. I decided that my chapter was too heavy, too much angst. This is a much lighter version for our Shamy hearts, and hopefully, funny.**

 **There are no spoilers here, really. If this does not jive with Season 9, then I guess we have new alternate dimension, don't we folks?**

* * *

Sheldon fumed over number Six's harsh profanity laden comments. He glowered toward number Six who had just bitten his head off, wanted to blow him up with his mind. Suddenly there was a flash and a glimmer, and number Six was gone. For an instant Sheldon One wondered if he had been successful and had finally mastered the art Mind Head-blowing but then all the Sheldons started to disappear, one by one, with that familiar hiss of electricity and a snap. He was alone, back in his own apartment. He quickly settled back into his 'real' spot and drew in a deep breath as he felt the familiar leather under him.

He had just experienced the most profound event in his life: Multiple dimensions were real and not only that, they were able to be crossed. The implications were staggering. If he could figure out how one of those Sheldons had done it, he could prove string theory. He could have his Nobel and soon there would be Sheldon Cooper Elementary schools and Sheldon Cooper streets popping up all across the country.

It was the most amazing thing that had ever happened to him, and he had no one to tell. There was no Leonard to boast to about the meeting of the greatest minds. Besides, Leonard wouldn't believe him and would just roll his eyes as usual. Penny would imply that Sheldon had found her yucky bible juice stash. Raj and Howard would probably make some crass comment about how deluded he was in thinking that the best evening of his life was being surrounded by himself. There was only one person he knew who would believe him unconditionally: Amy. She wouldn't tease or mock or joke. Not only would she listen to his tale, act interested and ask intelligent questions but she would also be happy for him. She would never say the evening had been an aberration.

He looked at the empty spot next to him on the couch and he had never felt more alone in his life.

Sheldon could still hear number Six's voice in his head. _Was he right_ , he wondered? Did he treat her as part of the furniture or one of his 'Mint in Box' collections. The pain of that thought stabbed in his brain and cut at his heart.

Sheldon admitted to himself that he had not wanted change however he had found that the changes weren't so bad, once the initial shock that he was actually in a relationship was over. Hand holding, hugging, and even kissing had been changes that he did not think he would enjoy as much as he did. As time had moved on, Amy had inched her way closer to him. Amy had found a small part in his heart that she had unconsciously staked as her own. Now it ached more than ever.

Now he was ready for an even bigger change in their relationship and she did not even know it. He stood up and walked to his desk drawer. Giving Gollum a little pat on the head, he took out his Meemaw's ring which he had planned to give to Amy before she had ruined his plans by leaving early on their anniversary date night, and now with this tedious reevaluation of their relationship. He shoved the ring into his pocket and looked again at the empty couch, especially the middle seat where she always sat.

Sheldon moved to the kitchen to fix himself a cup of Chamomile tea but as soon as he reached for the tea bag, he stopped and lifted it to his nose. The scent evoked memories of nights of conversations with Amy. He remembered the times when he saw her face reflecting disapproval, disappointment or worse, hurt over something he had said, or he didn't say. But he also remembered the times when she had helped him, guided him to the right answer or just had given her advice willingly and out of love. He smiled with a nostalgic sigh just thinking of their wonderful conversations, her sparkle, her wit and her intelligence. Oh how he missed not having her views and insight into his recent experience. It felt almost bland and worthless if she could not share this with him.

He smiled sadly recollecting that Amy always drank some hopped up concoction of tannins, mixing two tea bags or drinking Red Zinger at night, and all sorts of tea based anarchy. He quickly fixed his cup and sat back on the couch to think what to do. As he smelled the steaming liquid, he hoped the hot beverage would heal his woes.

However, he just could not settle. What he needed now was action, not some hot beverage to soothe his broken heart. He needed to fix it himself and get this relationship back on track once and for all. He tried to use Kolinahr, needing to focus, to find the strength to face his fears of intimacy, the will to change, and most importantly, the humility to admit that he had been wrong, but even that seemed to have failed him. He glanced at his watch, and saw it was nearly 12:30 AM. He had lost track of time reminiscing.

He was just about to leap up, steal Penny's car keys and drive over to Glendale to put an end to this "stupid step back" but before he could get to the door, there was a strong knock.

Sheldon swung open the door and gaped at the vision of the last person he expected to see, but the only one he wanted to. Amy stood there, looking as she had never done before. She was dressed as an extremely sexy Inara from Firefly, the very show Sheldon had just been talking about with the other Sheldons. The crimson dress was tight and had split sleeves, but the most notable part of the attire was the plunging neckline and split up the side of the dress practically to her waist. Sheldon almost swallowed his tongue.

"Amy! What? How?" Sheldon nervously bit his lower lip and licked the saliva off. Amy waltzed into the apartment without even looking at him.

"Well, Sheldon. It was evident after our last evening together, that you are more interested in a television show than me. I am here to enlighten you on what you **should** be thinking about when you kiss a woman." Amy smiled seductively and darted her leg out of the side slit of the dress. Sheldon's eyes were glued to her silken limb tempting him.

Before Sheldon could answer, a voice called out from the hall, "I KNOW!" Leonard came out of the back of the apartment with a fiendish grin. Sheldon frowned wondering where he had come from, some transporter from Vegas? Leonard winked at Sheldon and moved over to Amy.

Leonard licked his lips and eyed her up and down, "I know exactly what I would be thinking about." He turned to Sheldon and said with a leer, "More to the point, I know EXACTLY how to fix your problem, Sheldon! You thought about a show while kissing Amy? So why doesn't Amy think about a show while she is kissing someone… else?"

"SOMEONE ELSE?"

"Oh yeah… ." Leonard reached up, grabbed Amy's face and pulled her into a tender kiss. Sheldon watched as Leonard devoured Amy like a dripping ice cream cone. His hands moved down her neck and grabbed her shoulders as he pulled her into him. Amy let out a moan and arched her back to allow Leonard to bend her to his will. The kiss intensified, and Sheldon watched as Leonard's tongue plunged into Amy's open and receptive mouth.

Sheldon just glared at Leonard and Amy and finally said, " **That's enough**! This is _obviously_ a dream! Amy would never kiss Leonard!"

Amy pulled away and cocked her head at Leonard, "He's right. I find you tedious, and you're not that tall."

"Here is a man that this dynamite lady doesn't find tedious?" A huge smile beamed on Amy's face as Stuart rushed over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I have pumpkin lattes, my sweet. Can I interest you?"

"Oh yes!" Amy was just about to leave with Stuart when Sheldon broke up the happy couple.

Sheldon waved his hand dismissing the image of Stuart and Amy, "Oh please! Amy has already rejected you! And by the way, that coffee shop doesn't serve pumpkin lattes in May! Get over yourself, Stuart!" Sheldon glared at him, and Stuart backed away only to be replaced by another as Zack's deep voice echoed through the apartment.

"Amy, babe! My Fav science chick!" Zack held out his hands toward Amy.

Amy squealed and skipped over to Zack's outstretched arms, "Zack! Are you here to grab my gluteus Maximus and never let go?"

"I'll grab whatever you want, babe. And your killer ass too! Come on!" Zack pulled Amy by the arm, swept his other around her waist, and pressed his mouth against hers. When Zack's hand started to caress Amy's creamy thigh along the large slit in her skirt, Amy started to groan, as if she was experiencing an orgasm right then and there. Sheldon cleared his throat. His twitching was reaching dangerous levels to the point of convulsing.

"AMY! What happened to Kolinahr?"

Zack stopped kissing Amy and cocked his head, with a puzzled expression, "Dude… what about her colon? I don't think she's into that, Bro."

Amy grabbed Zack's face and pulled him back down to her mouth, "Don't worry about him. He is just irrational over our break up. He's even dreaming that I find **you** interesting."

"Cool…" Zack tried to kiss Amy again, but Sheldon yelled out to her.

"You don't have enough data to make a rational decision about **OUR** relationship"

Amy's voice raised an octave. "Did you say, ' _Rational decision'_? How the heck do you know what I am thinking, let alone that it is not _rational_? "

"You are always rational, Amy" he hastened to add to trying to calm her down, "…but you don't have all the data, I need to fill in the gaps. You should do the same for me. Like why you felt that you needed this stupid break to begin with and how long this idiocy will last." Sheldon could have slapped himself. That was not what he wanted to say at all. The other Sheldons told him to give her time. He knew he had to, but he was so angry at seeing all these men manhandle his woman, if it was concocted in his own mind.

She nearly spat her words at him, "Once again, I have to explain my feelings to my emotional vampire of a boyfriend. You have no emotions, so you suck them out of all those around you!"

Zack giggled, "You said **Suck** … cool…"

Sheldon rolled his eyes, "Oh please! Amy thinks you're stupid! Worse than stupid! Ape Like Expression, she said…"

"Well, **I'm** not stupid! In fact, my mommy is the mommy of the smartest physicist at Caltech!" Kripke walked into the room with two wine glasses in one hand and a bottle of red in the other. "Ready to share this wine I bought for you, Amy!"

"NO WAY! Please wake up… please wake up… Please wake up…" Sheldon hit his head with his hands and closed his eyes.

Amy quickly stepped away from Zack, "Sorry Zacky babe… You really are stupid."

She moved over to Barry, "Oh yes, and we can discuss my math…I have so much math, Barry! Just for you! All for you! My equations always balance! My figures are…"

Sheldon snapped at her, "That's enough about your figures, little lady! The only one who should know about your figure is me!"

"Well, Cwooper, you had your chance! Now, Amy tell me, what exactly can you do with a wocket?" Barry raised his brows to Amy who blushed, but Sheldon called out to him.

"No wockets! I mean rockets! Amy doesn't need to get her jollys off with you, Barry! You are a pervert!"

Barry snorted and shook his head, "No more than you!" He turned toward Amy, "So Amy… let me tell you what Sheldon said you guys did on the couch one night."

Amy turned her neck around and her glare pierced Sheldon.

She turned back to Barry, "Please do. Tell me everything."

Sheldon screamed out, "NO BARRY DON'T…"

Barry just laughed and laughed. He tipped his head down, and asked Amy in a lustful tone, "Hey, can you still do that thing with the back of your throat that Sheldon told me about?"

Amy turned her head toward Sheldon, but her eyes were white like super-heated flames, "Tell me Sheldon, what can I do with the back of my throat?"

"Amy! I just told a little fib. I mean, I am ready for more with you! It won't be a lie this time I promise! We can have coitus now! Well. Not **now** … But you know…" Sheldon smiled at Amy, but it was not returned.

Amy snorted, "You think you can fix all this with sex? You think I am so desperate, so filled with holes that you filling **one** of them will shut me up!"

"Amy! Don't talk like that!"

"Why not Sheldon? It's true. Well, guess what? I don't need sex with you. I don't want your charity, so keep it in your pants."

"But Amy, I want to marry you!" Sheldon pulled the ring out of his pocket and handed to her. She smacked it out of his hands and it tumbled across the floor. Sheldon bent to reach for it as Amy screamed at him.

"Oh joy! Married to a man who would figure out a way to get out of our honeymoon, schedule our sex in manner of months with time schedules and of course, only for the means of breeding. Don't think I have forgotten how enamored you were with Leonard's mother's practice of only having sex for procreation. . It will be such a happy home too, with an unloved mother and a bitter father who feels this hotsy totsy from Glendale enslaved him with her brain witchcraft, as you called it. I can't wait for it! SIGN ME UP!"

Sheldon hunched over losing inches of height in a manner of minutes. Amy seemed ten feet tall and as Sheldon looked up at her raging crimson face, she was.

"FYI, THAT WAS SARCASM!" Amy towered over him and he shrunk down even further. Amy took a step closer and grew another foot as she continued her rant. "I can get anyone I want, Sheldon, why on earth would I be with you!?"

"What do you need, Amy? I promise, I will…"

Amy silenced him with a wave of her hand like a wizard. Sheldon was mute.

"You can't fulfill my needs. You never have before, or even cared to try and you never will."

Sheldon stood in the living room impotent to save his world from crashing around him. This nightmare could not get any worse he thought till he heard a familiar voice bellowing through the room with a thick Texas drawl.

"Well then little lady. Why don't we find you a man that can fulfill all your needs?" Sheldon Six swaggered into the room. He was bare chested with long flowing hair and somehow, riding a horse. He clomped in the room and his white horse seemed to glare at Sheldon with emerald green eyes.

Sheldon Six climbed down from his saddle. His horse walked toward Sheldon's comic books and started to gnaw on them. Sheldon Six gave his horse a reassuring pat, and then smiled a toothy grin at Amy who was holding her heaving chest as if she were about to swoon like a southern belle.

He took a wide stance, placed his hands on his narrow hips and flexed his pectoral muscles, alternating from left to right. He looked at Amy with a leer and said, "I'm just as smart as your friend over there, twice as big and frankly, ready to ride a philly like you all night. Come on over here, you spunky little spit fire. Let me show you what a real man can do."

Sheldon Six held out his hand for Amy. She looked back at Sheldon, and eyed him up and down. With a shrug, she turned toward Sheldon Six and jumped on him as if she were straddling a horse. Sheldon Six looked over Amy's shoulder and glared at Sheldon. He licked his teeth, and with a sneer, mouthed the words to Sheldon standing in front of him, "She's mine now you clueless idiot."

All Sheldon could whisper was the word, "no." He watched in horror as Sheldon Six wrapped his arms around her back and started to rip away her costume. Twisting Amy away from Sheldon, he backed her against the wall, and all Sheldon could see were bits of torn fabric being tossed off and Sheldon Six's undulating hips moving between Amy's spread legs.

Sheldon tried to move, but his feet were glued to the floor. He looked down, and he was suddenly wearing his Flash boots from his costume. But the speedy boots failed him, as they seemed to be made of lead. All he could do was listen to the thudding sound of the entwined couple as Sheldon Six's movements continued to push Amy against wall and Amy's guttural moans. Sheldon couldn't take it anymore; he screamed and forced himself awake. It was then he understood the sound he heard. It was Leonard shutting the door as he came into the apartment. Sheldon drew in a breath and scanned his surroundings. He was still in his spot in his own home.

"Hey Sheldon, you're up late!" He glanced at his watch: It was only 12:45. His confused concentration was broken by Leonard's muddled voice.

"Sheldon? Did you hear me? What are you doing up?"

"I… I'm… I need to think, Leonard. Amy gave me a lot to think about tonight. "

"Well good luck with that. I am going to bed." Leonard's eyes were wide and blood shot, and showed his exhaustion but more importantly his pain.

"Wait, why are you here?" Sheldon suddenly realized something was amiss.

Leonard's voice dripped with sadness, "Penny and I had a fight. We had almost arrived in Vegas… Anyway, I don't want to talk about it. I think we are done...Forever…"

Sheldon rose off the couch and yelled at Leonard, "NO! You are NOT done! You will not give up so easily. I don't know what you did, or what she did or what the devil happened, but you need to fix this. You are meant to be together! In every universe you are together. You will go over to that apartment, and use some of the romantic mumbo jumbo you used to woe her to your bed to begin with. Now go!" Sheldon snapped his fingers at Leonard, and pointed to the door. However the intense gaze he gave him was enough to get his attention and instead of fighting with Sheldon, telling him why he was wrong or that he was just going to bed, Leonard did an uncharacteristic thing: He listened to him, drew in a staggered breath for strength, and turned on his heels to go next door.

Sheldon called back to him, "That's my boy!"

He smiled for a moment, but that quickly ceased as he dropped back on his spot and looked down to find a cup of cold tea. He drew in a quick breath and reached in his pocket to confirm that he still had the ring. It was safe but he still had no idea what to do with it.

Amy had requested time, and he knew that six hours was not enough. Though he wanted to race across the city, he didn't quite know what to say yet. He realized that he needed time as well to understand to take in all he had learned over the past few hours.

Sheldon readied himself for bed in a fog. Though he was exhausted, when his head hit the pillow, it offered no comfort. He tossed and turned for the next hour before finally falling asleep.

On waking next morning the first thing he saw was the ring on the nightstand still safely tucked away in its velvet box. Sheldon reached for it, and yet again rubbed his thumb over the soft material as he thought over the evening's events and nightmares. He tried to block out the cacophony of the judgmental chorus screaming at him. Even the brilliant mind of Sheldon Cooper was at a loss what exactly to say, but he knew what he wanted to do.

He showered, dressed and ate alone. There was no sign of Leonard and he smiled at the thought that Leonard had not screwed things up again. However this thought was quickly replaced by worry over his own yet still unresolved situation with Amy. Five years was enough to mull over these feelings, and now he needed to tell her.

He grabbed his keys and rushed out of the apartment with a dogged determination to get back the woman who had won his heart. During the meeting of the Sheldons, he realized that in every reality that was worth existing in, she was there by his side. There was not a universe where they had met, that Amy Farrah Fowler and Sheldon Cooper were not together. They were bound by a cord through every universe, and he had to make sure that in this universe, it was never cut.

Last night, Amy had spent the evening thinking over their five year relationship. She knew that the smell of the chamomile tea was hitting her olfactory bulb connected directly to her amygdala and hippocampus triggering emotional responses and memories of her time with Sheldon, but still she held onto her cup as if it were a lifeline.

After many hours and one and half boxes of Klennex later she was still no closer to her decision. So much for combing through their relationship with a rational mind, Amy had thought with a sigh. Eventually the numerous cups of tea she had drunk finally worked. Exhausted and with a colossal headache caused by her crying for six hours finally abated, she decided to go to bed. At least Sheldon had left her alone. She had expected a hundred text messages, but nothing. She did not know if she was disappointed or relived.

After a fitful restless night, she woke and readied herself for the day. She checked, but still no messages from Sheldon. Now in the clear light of a new day, she was thankful that he was giving her time to work through this.

She fixed a small breakfast and picked at it while she tried to gather her thoughts. Could she really step back from the man she loved? Could she keep going, having to fight for every small progress in their relationship and then having to justify her actions? Would her life with Sheldon always be this dance of wills? She had become a master manipulator because of him. Amy could now negotiate with the best hagglers at any Middle Eastern bazaar. Having to use these tactics with her boyfriend had changed her at a fundamental level, and she did not like it.

Amy pushed around her fork, drawing faces in her syrup as she wasted the morning. Finally she decided to get up, and do something. Perhaps a trip to the zoo or the Science museum, but the thought of going to either of these places without Sheldon and his entertaining comments on what they saw made the enterprise tasteless. She felt weary and melted back in her chair to push around the sugary liquid again.

As she was day dreaming, she heard a familiar triple knock. She couldn't help but smile as she rushed over to the door, but let out three quick breaths before she opened it.

As soon as Sheldon saw her in the flesh, he exhaled. She was so lovely, so kind and the best part: She was real. Thankfully she was dressed in a different outfit than the one in that terrible dream, he admitted to himself that though she looked good then, he much preferred what he saw now. At that moment, he couldn't help himself from stammering.

"Amy… I just…" Sheldon extended his hand to her waist, and drew her into him. Amy was shocked at this impulsive action but was powerless to refuse it. She scanned his face, as if questioning his motives, but she only had a moment before he dipped his head down and kissed her with such tenderness that Amy couldn't help but whimper.

Sheldon wanted more than anything to continue holding her, to smell her honeysuckle hair, and to continue to taste the sweet syrup on her lips but he knew he had to talk to her first.

Her eyes shone with a glow he had missed during the short time they had been apart. He gave a slight relieved smile and said, "Hello Amy. Forgive the early hour and the unscheduled kiss. I was going to kiss you the other night, but you um… stopped me… You know how I hate leaving things undone." Sheldon looked down and swallowed, hoping he wasn't in trouble, yet again He kept his head down, but shifted his eyes up to catch Amy's slight smile and blushed cheeks that told him he was okay, for now.

"Did you come here just for closure?" Amy's voice shook, hoping he would not say yes.

Sheldon shook his head, "Not for the kiss. I just… wanted to do that."

"Really? You wanted to kiss me?"

"I did. I still do, but I know I am not allowed. I also know that you asked for time. I am asking for that as well, I only ..I just… need a moment, and then I will leave you alone again…" Sheldon looked pained as he spoke, "I just need to speak with you about our relationship status."

"Okay…I guess I can do that and give you a few minutes. Please come in." Amy knew that she should be upset he had not given her the space she asked for, but instead she was thrilled that he had come to see her. It showed her that he took their relationship seriously, and also she couldn't deny that his kiss was welcome.

They sat awkwardly on the couch next to each other as if they were a teen couple on a first date.

Sheldon knew he had to get this right Just to clarify… I am not here because I think you do not have enough data to make a rational decision about OUR relationship and you will ruin me! That is NOT what I am going to say." Sheldon put out his hands to push the words away. He didn't want to repeat the argument he had had with Dream Amy.

Amy was befuddled by his statement, "Oh, okay… I am glad you said that, because that would have upset me."

Sheldon let out a large sigh, "Believe me…I know…" He licked his lips trying to gather his thoughts on what next to say, "I just want you to know a few things before you decide we will break up."

Amy glared at him and said quickly, "Who said anything about us breaking up? I said I needed a time to reevaluate, not break up! I crafted my words VERY carefully!"

He couldn't help but smile, "I know you did. You didn't say we broke up. Just that you needed to take a step back, and I understand why." Amy looked surprised by this, "I really do understand, although I know that is hard to believe given my history on social interactions and deciphering the female mind with your special areas of intuition and the ability to remember everything we males do wrong..."

Amy drew in a breath through her nose. She was sick of this argument with him, and it seemed that he had forgotten the lesson. "As I have stated NUMEROUS TIMES. My mind is just like yours, Sheldon. No different. I can show you the scans. There is not a place in the brain that has a 'Girly Section.' It's not a department store, it's the brain!"

Sheldon could feel his pulse rise, he was losing this, but he could not deny that he loved it when she challenged him. "I know that! I just mean, you **do** think differently than I do, you always have. In so many ways, more than I realize, you are the better one of us, Amy. We both have superior intelligence, sure…me a little more than you since you chose biology but.."

"Sheldon… I think I need to take that step back even further…" She scowled at him, crossing her arms. Her brow was so low that it hid below her frames which showcased her seething green eyes glaring at him.

"Okay, I get it, but my point is we are both smart, but you have patience and generosity on top of having a stellar mind. You have insight and empathy. You care about things that I never consider, like what one should be thinking about as one kisses one's girlfriend on one's couch on one's anniversary…" Sheldon looked at his grasped hands rather than Amy's face.

Amy's face softened at his compliment and concern over Sheldon's worried frown. She reached out and almost brushed his furrowed brow off, but as always, she pulled her hands back so not to touch him. "Sheldon, you might not know, but your comment on the Flash… that was just a symptom of a larger problem…"

Sheldon interrupted her, "I do, actually."

Amy eyes popped wide, "Really? I find that hard to believe."

Sheldon drew in a breath, "Amy, after we hung up, I had the most profound experience of my life and I really learned a lot last night.

Amy tried to think of anything that could explain Sheldon's comments and behavior, "Did you finally start Downtown Abbey? Look I know that Maggie Smith is in Harry Potter, but she is a different character! I warned you.."

"NO! Look who is talking about TV shows now, little lady!" He gave her a slight smirk that she returned and she let him finish. "It is something that would be too long to explain in the few minutes you allotted me, but I learned a great deal…and not just from the terrible dream where you kissed all those Neanderthal men and threw the ring I got you across the room, but from…"

It was Amy's turn to interrupt, "I'm sorry? What?"

Sheldon ignored her question with a way of his hand, "Not important now. However, I do need to tell you a few of things I've learned, and then I will let you continue your reevaluation. Is that acceptable, or should I send a PowerPoint with PDF attachment?"

Amy curled the side of her mouth, "No Sheldon, telling me is fine. Yes I do need some time to think over things, but I can give you time to explain. May I offer you a beverage?"

"Thank you." Sheldon couldn't help but beam back at Amy. As she fixed him a cup of tea, Sheldon glanced around her apartment at items he had never really noticed before like her award from UCLA, an old photo of her father holding her as a child and a strange cross stitch tapestry she must have picked up in Saudi Arabia. He was always complaining that she never took an interest in his hobbies, but now he realized that he had the same culpability.

Amy brought over a cup for him and set it in his shaking hands. He lifted to his mouth, and instantly smelled lemon. He gave her a strange look with a smile, "Lemon?"

"I… um… drank all my chamomile. Sorry."

"It's perfect. Thank you." Sheldon set down the cup licked his lips once, and started speaking like an auctioneer. She had said he only had a few minutes and Sheldon Cooper does not like to break the rules.

"Amy. I want to tell you first off, that I do have emotions. I am not a vampire."

"Um… I know that Sheldon. Is this going to be another one of your sci fi shows talks, because…"

"NO! I mean… I'm sorry, I'm still filtering through everything that happened... I just want you to know, I don't want to suck the emotions out of you. I don't think you are ruled by yours, but rather you have a better handle on them I guess. You can identify them better. I do have emotions, I admit that I try and hide them, and ignore them, but they are still there." Sheldon's voice rose with panic.

"I know that Sheldon…" Amy tried to calm him but he interjected again.

"Good, but in the dream I had you said..."

"Sheldon you cannot compare me to a dream…"

"But you do that to me."

Amy swallowed, "What do you mean?"

"I want to be the man you want, Amy. A guy who knows that love is nothing to be afraid of and who could have held your hand in the theater the first time meeting you followed by other things…A man on a white horse, ready to give you whatever you want, like doing things against a wall."

"Against the wall? What have you been watching tonight? Game of Thrones again?"

"No, nothing so tame. I just know that you wish I could give you… well... just other things... when we first met."

"Sheldon, what other things? We met in a coffee shop!"

"I KNOW THAT, I just mean, I wonder if you wanted a man who could have been **with you** the first time we met." He looked at her with a slight blush and raised brows implying with an expression something he couldn't verbalize.

Amy looked almost scandalized, "Sheldon, neither of us were ready for that then."

"Well, now you are. I know you wish I was different. Maybe even a different man altogether." He pursed his lips and then sucked them in.

Amy frowned confused, "What do you mean?"

"I wonder if you want a fantasy man who can wear his heart on his sleeve and tell you he loves you without a word. A man who could tell you how he feels about you without the need of dates or romance. But I can't. I am not wired that way."

"Sheldon, I want you, not some fantasy and I certainly do not want to rewire you, if that is what you are implying."

"I'm not, although that would be good." Sheldon's demeanor brightened up with the thought, "You could have a universal translator on me. So when I say something like your hair looks like a duck in an oil spill, you could take it as a compliment."

"Or, you could just give me a REAL compliment, and leave it at that." Amy narrowed her eyes and unconsciously brushed her hair back.

"Like telling you that you are pretty by just looking at you." Sheldon dipped his head down and gazed at her.

"That…" She stopped talking when she saw Sheldon staring at her. Suddenly she was shy and blushed when she looked away, "That would be nice."

"Or text you every day so that you know I am thinking of you." He gave her a slight smile, and shifted in his spot to inch a bit closer to her.

"Yes. I guess you do um already do that… it's true. And I do know that you enjoy spending time with me, you said so to Leonard."

"I really do, Amy. I am more comfortable with you than I have been with anyone before in my life. You shouldn't need a translator. You should know instinctively that I love you. You have spent years wondering what I really think of you, and all my efforts to show you have been in vain. You think you don't matter to me."

Amy sucked in her bottom lip and looked at her clasped hands on her lap. "I do think that, yes. You said you loved me, but…"

"But you think I love you like I do Penny or Leonard. You matter to me more than anyone. I have tried to show you. I've shown you affection I have never shown for another. I listen to you more than anyone else. I value your opinion higher than the others. I think about what you will think of me all the time yet you **still** don't know how important you are to me."

Sheldon could feel his pulse rise, "You think that I treat you like the furniture and that I don't want anything to change. That is just not true and because I have done a poor job of showing how I feel, you have to guess. You give my words meaning that just isn't there, like a conversation about the Flash means you don't matter to me. Frankly, you've guessed wrong."

"When you…would rather spend time…" Amy raised a defensive tone, but Sheldon cut her off.

"I know… when I tried to get out of dates, when I found technicalities and escape clauses in our agreement, when I didn't defend you to the group, only ever called you pretty once, when I do everything I can to belittle your need for affection or ignore you, that is why you think you don't matter to me. I understand that now."

Amy eyes popped wide, "Sheldon, I am surprised you realized all that. I thought you just didn't care enough to even analyze our relationship."

"I do analyze it. All the time if you must know. However, I am never right and I am tired of that, probably as much as you are tired of me not understanding your needs."

Amy let out a weary sigh, "I am tired of it Sheldon. I'm tired of being the one who always wants more."

"And I am the one who thinks we are happy how we are. I think you are happy but you are not. I think we are having a good time but you are not. I think we are the best relationship in the group, you do not. I am thrilled to be with you, but you are not that way with me."

"Not all the time! Sometimes I feel that you think I am just some grumpy Eeyore while you are the happy Winnie the Pooh going through life!"

"I think of myself more as Christopher Robin than Winnie the Pooh. I mean…honey is sticky… so no…"

"SHELDON!

"Oh sorry. Yes. Well. I just wanted to say I understand now. I know I have said things that have hurt you, and dismissed you, but I am never aware when this happens. I need your help here, you have to tell me and not just walk away and assume that I will get it. I don't want to risk cutting at the cord that binds us together."

"Just that you can say that, that's a big step…" Amy was pleasantly shocked.

"I know. I'm a genius and good study. Like I said, I learned a few things last night after our Skype call. I will tell you the hows and why later, but it took a higher authority to help me find clarity."

Amy was again surprised and asked, "Higher authority? Like God?"

"No, physics." Sheldon cleared his throat, "I know I should have given you more time, but I couldn't wait another minute without you knowing what you mean to me."

"Okay. You got me curious now!"

Sheldon dreamily smiled, "Like the Cheshire cat! I always loved that…

"SHELDON!"

"Fine… You only gave me a few minutes anyway, so I better hurry up." Sheldon took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. He turned to face Amy and looked into her eyes.

"Amy. I learned five lessons last night. In a way, I traveled through five possible scenarios for my life, almost all of which you were in. I think that that was the first and most important lesson, that you are always there. Every possible permutation, whether we met in college, by chance or through the dating site, you are always there Amy. Always."

"Sheldon, that was some dream you had!"

"You have no idea." Sheldon ran his hands through his hair and then took another breath, "I promise I will tell you more, but for now, I need to explain what I learned."

"Please go on… Next lesson?"

"Second lesson was that intimacy is nothing to fear. You can run from it, ignore it for years like I have, but it actually makes you better. Sex is not intimacy. I have been equating the two, but they are different."

Amy blinked with disbelief at his statement. Not that it was wrong, but that Sheldon Cooper was the one to say it, "That's true, Sheldon. I mean, our sleep over was wonderful and I felt so close to you. We didn't need sex for that to occur." Amy quickly added a disclaimer to her statement, "Not that I am asking you to take it off the table, mind you!

Sheldon looked suddenly sickened, "Oh god, Amy! Please don't mention tables! I almost lost you over that stupid table and I am patently aware what would have happened!"

"Oh Sheldon, should I even ask… what table?"

"Leonard's postmodern hideous piece of wood he called a dining table."

"OH… THAT table…" Amy glared at him.

"I know…It was hideous…" Sheldon thought she was as repulsed at the table as he was. "More importantly, I could have lost you if you weren't smart enough to fool me with your brain magic!"

"How did you know I did?" _He is full of surprises_ , Amy thought.

"A skinny bird told me. I would have been an emotional wreck who wouldn't have eaten for weeks. Eventually I would have found a reason to blame everyone around me for our demise. Oh, and I'd be super skinny, that's for sure… You on the other hand would have been fine if we had broken up, in fact probably better for it. You would probably have gone off with Stuart and drunk pumpkin lattes in May!"

"Oh Sheldon. There is no way that would have happened." Amy gulped and blinked her stinging eyes. Sheldon just shook his head.

"No. Amy. Just because they don't sell Pumpkin Lattes in May, don't let it fool you! It could have happened! It would have been terrible. Anyway, if not for you rescuing me from the worst mistake of my life, I would have been sad, bitter and alone, and if you break up with me now that is what will happen. It would be.. Just so awful Amy!"

"Sheldon please, we are still together! Don't bring all that "what if" stuff up! We don't need to play counterfactuals with our lives!"

"No Amy, that "what if" stuff is important. It's the little things that you do, that I didn't realize. You make our relationship work, Amy."

Amy smiled and tipped her head down, "I've really tried, Sheldon."

"I know you have… Now I understand, I do… anyway. To continue… The third lesson ties into that dreadful scenario. Without you in my life, a piece of me is missing."

Amy blew off the statement, "Oh Sheldon, you were just fine before me and you'd be fine without me."

Sheldon yelled at her with a fearful warning, "Amy, don't even say that. It's like _**Beetlejuice or Bloody Mary**_ , you'll make it real!"

"Sorry." Amy hid her smirk, but Sheldon looked truly ghost while.

"I WILL NOT be fine without you, I'm sorry, but you're wrong. Even if I had never met you, I would not be fine. I would be alone, and cuss like a sailor."

"Sheldon, you'd never curse!"

Sheldon shook his head, "I know…it's was really weird to hear my voice saying those things about you. Although… I could use with a little more working out… I mean I look pretty good with a bit of muscle…"

Amy rolled her eyes at his distractions, but it seemed par for the course, "Sheldon! What are you talking about? What things did you say?"

Sheldon pulled back like a church woman in alarm, "Amy! I can't say what I heard to you! You're a lady!" He remembered the conversation about Amy's appealing posterior and blushed.

Amy merely curled up the side of her mouth in a grin and let Sheldon continue, "Here is the important thing Amy. Now that I know how we can be together, there is no going back. I got a glimpse into my life with you by my side and I was so much better for it, Amy. I mean really good! Like Nobels, and Death Stars and tenure, and genius babies, and going to conventions together, and Neil Diamond serenades, we can have it all! I saw how much better a person I was. I was kind, but still had fun. I was smart, and could give advice without eyes rolling. It was… nice."

"It sounds nice…" Amy smiled as she Sheldon was telling her he thought of their future. Sure, she had to admit, Sheldon threw in some Star Trek reference, but at least she was in the mix even more than she could hope. One detail caught her attention, "So… um... tell me again about these genius babies?"

Sheldon nodded with a smile, "Oh yeah, like super smart, Amy. But none of that matters."

"Sure it does!" Amy's eager wishful thinking had to be tempered, "If that is what you want!"

"That's the thing, I want **all** of that. I know it would great. Better than great. The fourth lesson told me that I could have that wonderful life but in a moment, it could be gone. You could be gone. I need to appreciate what I have NOW. Not wait."

"I would… like that." Amy smiled.

Sheldon smiled as well, but he quickly lost his grin as he thought, "But it is important that you want this too, that it is not just me. I know that I need to make adjustments, but I need your help, I cannot do this alone. Amy, I just do not know what to do or how to do it."

Amy scooted closer to him, "All I want you to do is just to make me a priority."

"But that's the thing, Amy. I had, but you did not know it. I thought I was doing so great. I thought I was the best boyfriend ever. We were progressing, and sure it wasn't as fast as our friends, but we were doing it! Then BLAMO, I was hit with that face of yours. The one that tells me that I screwed up, that I'm not the man you expected me to be."

"Sheldon, your comment about Flash at what I thought was an intimate moment between us, seemed to reinforce my fears that you didn't think about me, and it made me think that you didn't want a future together like I do. I felt that I had to think about whether I should keep hoping for something that I had to constantly battle for? Also, fighting that feeling was the thought that if I love you, should I ask you to change so much? I still don't know if it's right to ask you to change. You worry about being selfish, but you don't realize, so do I!"

Sheldon smiled, "Your brand of selfish pushes me in a way that I need, and, I admit now, want to be pushed. It helps us, so I would not call that selfish Amy, the argument is moot."

Amy just smiled, as he continued, "I do want a future with you, Amy. I planned on it, but it was only because I thought we were ready. I was wrong. The last lesson I learned Amy, was I may not be the man you deserve."

"Don't you think I should decide that?" Amy offered him a smile that cut down his argument. He had to return it.

"You're right, as usual."

Sheldon reached out and grabbed her hand, which despite all his recent actions and comments still had the power to shock her. He licked his lips as he thought what to say next.

Finally, he looked up at her, and pulled out the ring and placed it on the coffee table.

He did not open the box, or show it to her, but Amy still gasped all the same. "Is that?"

"Yes, I've had it for a while. I just didn't know how to ask you."

"I don't know what to say…" Amy held her breath.

"Don't say anything now. What matters is that you know I want to spend my life with you. When I do ask you to marry me, and I will Amy, it won't be as though I'm giving you the gift of me. I will be asking you to do me the honor of allowing me to become your husband. I will ask you for the gift of spending the rest of my life with you."

Sheldon smiled shyly as he continued, "However, I love you enough to know that spending your life with me will not be an easy decision to make. I know that I try your patience. That I constantly do and say things that hurt, but during this intermission of our relationship I will try to be more open about how I feel about you. I will try to show you how important you are to me. But I will make mistakes and the only one I trust to tell me I am doing things right is you. So when you think I am ready, and you are willing to hitch your hopes to a man as patience inducing as I am, tell me."

Sheldon gave another short smile as he rose off the couch and released her hand. Before he left her side, he kissed the top of her head.

"I know you need time, Amy. I will give you all you need."

Amy furrowed her brow, and watched him as he headed toward the door. His head never lifted.

Before he reached the handle he felt a hand on his arm. He gazed down and saw his Meemaw's ring box in Amy's hand. Confused, he turned around, and saw her face with fresh tears streaming down. He took back the ring and shoved it in his pocket with bitter disappointment.

"You… don't…want to try? I'm too late?"

Amy smiled at him with shiny eyes wet from tears, "You told me to tell you when I was ready to put my hopes in you. They have always been there." Amy smiled and wiped her tears away with her fingers. She looked up to him with the brightest smile he had ever seen on her face. "I would be proud to be your wife Sheldon, but only when you are ready as well. I can wait for us to work things out, but just expect a yes. It will always be yes."

He let out a short chuckle, "Of course it would be." She nudged him playfully, and kept her smile. He pulled her into his chest and embraced her by wrapping his arms around her as if he were tying a knot in a string between them that he would never let be broken.

* * *

 **A/N: Well folks, that was Number One's story. As I said, written BEFORE the premier. This is what I wanted for our couple.**

 **A shout out to ShamyBabboos for help with this chapter.**

 **Next up: Last chapter folks. Epilogue to Sheldon Six. I hope you stay tuned!**


	16. Chapter 16: Happy Accident?

**Chapter 16**

 **Six Sheldon's**

 **Epilogue for Six: Happy Accident?**

* * *

 **Here is the recap:**

 **Sheldon One: He is the Sheldon from the Show. This story takes place minutes after the Skype call ended from the Finale. He is back with Amy!**

 **Sheldon Two: He is from my Big Reversal Theory: The Vixen in 4B story. You just found out he proposed in 2010. He was married in 2011, has a child on the way.**

 **Sheldon Three: He is the Sheldon who had a one night stand with Amy after meeting her in the theater. Happy and content!**

 **Sheldon Four: He broke up with Amy over the Table incident in Season 7 but finally realized his mistake. Now he has his Amy.**

 **Sheldon Five: This is the Sheldon from my Caustic Cohabitation Conundrum. He is the one who met Amy when he was 21 at Harvard. This is 15 years later and he is a proud parent of the boy who designed the machine that brought all the Sheldons together.**

 **Sheldon Six: Non-believer. More of his story will unfold later. We found out he was raised by his father and helped his sister with her baby when he was only 18. He still thinks this congress of Sheldons is just a dream. This one has no Amy, no friends. Here is the rest of his story…**

* * *

Sheldon Six stared at the two worn out old arm chairs where just a minute ago, a leather couch had been. He shook his head and let out a chuckle. He must have imagined the whole thing. There could be no other explanation.

"Why in the hell did I dream I had a leather couch?" Sheldon snorted at the fantasy. "What a bunch of crap." There was no way anyone could break the barrier between alternate universes, because as Sheldon was convinced: there were no alternate universes. Long before he had even come to Caltech, he had dismissed the notion as utter poppycock.

" _Caltech_." What would he do when they fired him? Could he stay in California? The notion, even a hint of the idea that he would have to move made him shake in anger. This spot, at 2311 Los Robles, was where he belonged now. There had only been one spot in all of Texas that he had felt safe, only one place in that hot hell hole: the room of his childhood and he had only needed that in the direst of urgencies. Meemaw lived there now and though Sheldon knew he was always welcome, things had changed. More importantly, he had changed and there was no going back.

Here in this apartment, in Pasadena, this was now his real home and he knew it in his gut. Even in his imagined fantasy of alternate universes, the five other Sheldons lived here and nowhere else. They were content with their different lives, their friends, and even their wives, but they all lived in this space which Sheldon now feared he might lose because he would be forced to leave Caltech.

However, there was no way Sheldon was going to give up his career without a fight. If Ms. Davis and the other bureaucratic lackeys wanted to challenge Sheldon Cooper, he was going to be ready. First he had to do research. He logged onto the University server to check out his competition in theoretical physics. A woman by the name of Leslie Winkle had done some promising work, but she had moved to MIT years ago. Kripke seemed to be their best hope when it came to theoretical physics which in itself was a joke. Within five minutes he knew he had nothing to worry about from these intellectual pygmies. There was no one close to his previous breakthroughs, but he knew he was currently stalled. He just needed more time.

 _Time_? He had nothing but time for years, and had no luck. He could really use some good advice on his predicament. Sheldon Six lamented that he couldn't just call up Sheldon Five for guidance since he had navigated through academia with flying colors. Sheldon knew it was his mind making up a perfect career for him when he conjured Sheldon Five. That is why his fantasy had a Sheldon who was so successful at not only science but dealing the powers that be as well. Sheldon shook his head and remembered Carl Sagan's quote: " _It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion,_ however _satisfying and reassuring_." His imagined reality wth a woman like Amy Farrah Fowler seemed overly reassuring that the moment as he looked around his quiet apartment.

His mind reflected on what the other Sheldon's had said about that name, Amy Farrah Fowler. The five other Sheldons had described her personality so precisely and each one had said the same attributes and meager flaws; It was uncanny. A spunky little stubborn spit fire with a huge heart. In some of their histories, she worked at Caltech as well. Curiosity was gnawing at him, so instead of clicking back to the email server, he went to the staff listing, to the biology web page and then to neuroscience. He gasped and jumped back from the screen when she saw her name come up.

She was real. Very real _. If only there was a picture_ , he thought.

Amy Farrah Fowler was on staff at both UCLA and Caltech, the latter being her latest assignment. There were no photos at all, but there in the pixels of his screen was the name mentioned in his hallucination.

His mind raced through the possibilities: He **must** have seen her name, on a staff memo or some other thing. There was a Nobel Laureate of Physics, named Fowler who had worked at Caltech in the past. He must have picked up on her name. He laughed at how the mind worked, and that this woman who studied brains, in particular, would have found the whole thing fascinating and probably want to dissect him.

Reading the background history on the web page, it was evident that she was very accomplished with awards and accolades from both UCLA and Caltech. She had gone to Harvard for her undergrad work and masters. This fact made Sheldon pause. How could he have imagined a life where he had met her at Harvard like in Number Five's story? He must have seen her curriculum vitae before and forgot it.

"Forgot it? Even I don't believe that!" Sheldon snorted at his own ridiculous justification of this serendipity. Sheldon knew he was grasping at straws looking for any explanation he could. He looked at the screen again and took a deep swallow, he knew his eidetic memory would never allow him to forget and he was now questioning everything he ever remembered.

He **had** to have met her, but how could he forget? He wouldn't forget. He became agitated and nervous as his eyes darted around the screen looking for some explanation for this fanciful dream. He pushed back from his desk and paced around the room, one arm around his chest and another holding his thumb to his mouth. "How could this be? I am going bat crap crazy, that's what!" He wondered if all these years alone had finally affected his mind.

Sheldon went back to the screen and found an interesting link. This fantasy woman was conducting a study on emotions, and she was asking for volunteers to take part in the trial by allowing their brains to be scanned. The only criterion for the volunteers was that they should have a High Intelligence Quotient. Sheldon snickered, "Oh that has Sheldon Cooper written all over it! Oh you poor woman, you just wait. We'll just see how perfect you are, lady..."

Sheldon signed in to make an appointment for Monday morning. He would go to this study and would meet this woman and prove once and for all that this entire meeting of Sheldons had been nothing but a bunch of hokum. Once he had met her, he knew that there was no way she could never live up to what he had heard about her. No woman could be that perfect.

Sheldon shook his head as he thought, a woman who was as intelligent as he was, working at the same University? A woman who was just as inexperienced in sex, who was kind, thoughtful and caring? He had to have made her up. The hallucinations had crafted a description of his perfect companion.

Sheldon laughed. Those guys with their dirty sock and perfectly matched mate weren't too far off. But what else had his perfect brain crafted? A group of friends that held his interests? Put up with his quirks and supported him even when he was an ass? There was no way that could have been a reality. It was a sophistry of hope, nothing more.

Sheldon decided that a good night's sleep was what he needed to forget these crazy imaginings. Tomorrow in that woman's lab, he would prove this was all a lie. he repeated the Carl Sagan as a mantra while drifted off to sleep: _I_ _t is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion,_ however _satisfying and reassuring_.

Sheldon already had a meeting booked with Gablehauser for 2 pm, so he had wanted to be to be seen as early as possible, and had been lucky enough the get the first slot at 8.30. So the next morning, Sheldon headed toward Caltech at an ungodly hour. He would never take the bus, or a taxi, so as he had woken up early he had plenty of time to walk. He often thought about getting out of storage the motorcycle he bought in a moment of weakness. At least his daddy taught him one useful skill, he thought. Sheldon had only ridden it to grocery and Caltech because the LA freeway system was too daunting, but since he had been working at home for over 10 years, there was no need for it. Additionally, he had to do some minor repairs, and given this Amy Farrah Fowler insisted he show up on time, it would have to wait for next week. Sheldon should grouse over her adherence to the time, but he actually admired the quality.

Public transport was out of the question. It wasn't the germs from the bus or the cab that bothered him. His father had long ago fixed him of that phobia by rubbing his face with dirt and making him stand in the corner for an hour before allowing him to take a shower. Sheldon hated public transport because of the people. He had spent years living alone and his cynical filter for everything that was ever said to him was in full force. There would be months he wouldn't hear his own voice let alone anyone else's. The only words from another he heard was his family back home which kept his Texas drawl as thick as the day he left. He worked in solitude and his only dreaded time of day was Saturday, laundry night. He would sometimes run into his neighbor, a chatty bottle blond who never got the hint he was not up for conversation.

Though it was a long walk to the University his early morning start meant that he had arrived with at least 30 minutes to spare before he was to head to the lab for his brain scan. Sheldon decided to get a coffee at the cafeteria before the meeting of his supposed fantasy.

At the age of 13 he had made some off the cuff remark to his father about how momma would have said that coffee was a gateway drug after he brought him a cup to get him up for work. George Sr. never did get up that day, but since that unwelcome lecture, Sheldon's father had made him drink it black, as a man should. He was now hooked, and had to have at least three cups every day to keep going.

However, as he didn't want to drink the beverage in the cafeteria with all the strangers, he decided to see if he could find somewhere quiet to gather his thoughts. What would he ask her? How could he find out what kind of woman she was with only one meeting? What did she look like besides having brown hair and an ass that didn't quit? Not having seen a picture of this perfect Amy, so he had no clue.

He was holding his coffee in one hand while opening the cafeteria door with another. The thin cup was hot, and he tried to switch hands. He wasn't looking and ran smack into a woman trying to enter at the same time. She fell back on the floor with thud and gasp. The coffee spilled onto her sweater and blouse. Sheldon was frozen as he looked down to see what he had done.

"Oh my!" The woman sat up on her elbows and looked down at her sweater, then looked up at the man who was staring at her like a statue. "I guess I need a new cardigan, but at least it's a good shield from the hot liquid, right?"

Sheldon's short stint of cotillion training finally kicked in and he thought he should say something. He shook his head and said, "Oh dear lord, I'm sorry."

The bespectacled brunette with the long hair looked up at him, and smiled. He noticed her green eyes behind her thin copper frames glisten at him as if the color alone offered a wink. She held out her hand for him to help her up. Sheldon gulped and then blew out three quick breaths. He grasped her hand and with all his strength pulled her light body off the ground. Sheldon pulled her up with so much force she fell into his chest.

"Oof…Oh my you're strong." The woman's other hand landed on his chest bracing herself against him. She could feel his bulging pectoral muscles under the thin long sleeve sweater. She shifted her gaze up to him, and saw his stunned face looking down at hers. He was shocked, immobile, with his only movement being his blinking wide blue eyes staring at her. She immediately backed away and let out a breath, "Hoo."

It was the first physical contact he had had with anyone for years. It wasn't something he feared, just shunned. He never shook hands if he could get away with it, and it was also one of the reasons he avoided crowds so no one would accidentally touch him and spark up a conversation. Her hand however was strong, with dexterous muscles behind silken skin. Surprising himself, he realized that didn't want to let it go nor back away from her touch. He held onto her hand for a moment longer than needed, and finally released it.

Sheldon unconsciously put his hand on his chest where hers had just touched him. He should have backed off, but instead the fact he didn't shy away fascinated him further. He felt pulled to her as if by a cord. Without a thought, he took a step toward her, closing the 2-foot gap that was his usual protective space with others. He finally found his voice though it was barely a murmur.

"Pardon me, miss. I just.. Oh shoot, look at your sweater." Sheldon was fixated on her chest, dripping with brown stains.

The woman looked down at her sopping wool sweater which was drenched with liquid dripping on the floor, "Oh man…I'm going to feel naked today." She started to unbutton it in front of Sheldon who looked away, as if he was expecting her to strip there and then.

Sheldon stole a glance at her once her sweater was off. She was wearing a tight flowered blouse buttoned to her wrists. She had another shirt underneath, but the thin fabric showed off the shape of her waist and chest. She was petite, but in Sheldon's opinion, built like a real woman, with hips like handles and curves where they should be. He tried to pull his eyes away from her, but he couldn't stop staring at her. He was transfixed by her voice, and her mannerisms. She was so methodical in the way she folded her sweater, held herself and spoke, that Sheldon felt immediately drawn to her.

The woman beamed a smile, "No harm done. Besides, did you know, caffeine is good for your skin, helps reduce the harmful effects of UV damage, and reduces cellulite! So, I guess I should say thank you." The woman kept her kind smile that told him he was instantly forgiven.

Sheldon couldn't help but return the smile, "I did know that! It also fights free radicals, although we would need some 2-amidinopropane di-hydrochloride to be sure about the effects on them pesky free radicals." Sheldon reached to the ground to pick up the empty coffee cup. When he looked back at her, her smile would have overshadowed the sun.

The woman's eyes ignited with recognition and curiosity, "Oh I would love to do that experiment! Are you referencing the study that looked at the synergistic and antagonistic effects the compound? The one by Peyrat-Maillard?"

Sheldon felt an instant unknown jolt of exhilaration course through him like an electric current, "No, actually… I was thinking of the by Betigeri."

This woman standing before him fascinated Sheldon like no one had in years. He hadn't recognized the cause of the sudden jolt of excitement, because he had felt it so little in his life. He was impressed. He had to know more about her. Everything about her. The other make-believe Sheldon's could have their fantasy woman, their "perfect" Amys, but Sheldon wanted to find out everything about this woman standing before him, impressing him within minutes of meeting her. She was real, not some idealized version he had made up in some sleep deprived fantasy.

The woman thought for a moment, "Ah yes, the study from 2005. It had far better research methodologies. Well, I will have to re-read those. Anyway, thank you for the stimulating conversation and the caffeine for my... how did you say? Pesky free radicals." The woman shot a quick smile, and turned to leave, but Sheldon stopped her by lightly touching her forearm. She looked down at his touch with a raised brow and then back to him, judging him with a glare. Sheldon pulled his hand back quickly and she relaxed again, with a gentle grin.

"I'm sorry, again, miss. I shouldn't have been so clumsy." He continued to stare at her brilliant jade colored eyes. He hadn't seen a pair of eyes look so kindly at him since he was young. He took a step toward her to close the gap, but the woman backed away.

"Please don't worry." Her voice broke his stare, "And it's Doctor, not miss. " She held her sweater under her arm and looked at her watch, "Oh dear. I must dash. Be careful with your hot beverages, sir!"

Sheldon watched the woman rush down the hall without another word as he felt his pulse radiate through him with every step she took. Sheldon stole a glance at her posterior swaying, "Oh sweet Jesus… I am in so much trouble." As she turned the corner of the hall, Sheldon was still mute until he realized something.

"God Damn it! I'm no better than that idiot number Three! I didn't even ask her name!"

Sheldon looked at his watch and realized he had no time for flirts. He had to get to this infamous Amy Farrah Fowler's lab on time. The website was clear: If you are late for your appointment, you obviously don't have the intelligence required for the experiment. Sheldon had to agree that this Amy girl was spunky based on her clip demands, however, nothing compared to how he felt about the woman he had just met. He almost gave up on this Amy just to chase after the woman who turned his head, but he had to put his mind at ease over this crazy fantastical dream. Amy Farrah Fowler was a made up fantasy, nothing more. As soon as he was done proving THAT, he'd find that woman with the haunting green eyes, that was for damn sure, he promised.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Thank you so much folks for all your support, reviews and love on this story. It's been a fun ride and quite a different story for me to write. I cannot thank enough my Beta. We have been volleying this story back and forth for months and she has time and time made the story better. Thank you, friend.**

 **And thank you guys too! I love to hear all your thoughts on the story. Did you like it? Was it too confusing? Did I give you enough?**

 **I left you with a cliff hanger here. If you stop the story here, you can have your own imaginings about whom Sheldon Six has met. If you NEED to know, I have a new story starting all about him next week. I have to warn you, he is not the IC Sheldon we all have learned to love. You folks whom have read this story know why. I hope you stay tuned.**

 **If not, and this is your last chapter, thank you again for the reading it! Please drop me on last line and tell me what you think.**


	17. Epilogue

**Final Epilogue of Six Sheldon's Saga**

* * *

 **Well, my little fan fic-keteers, it looks like the last episode of ALL of Six Sheldons is at an end.**

 **If I could, I would run each and every one of you readers up a flagpole and salute you. And if you touched the ground, burn you. I'd like to take a moment to personally thank ShAmy4evr, who you may or may not know is the first transcontinental Beta Reader to a Hazelra7 Fan fic-o-tainment story.**

 **She has been with me through all this Saga, all 465k of words, every step of the way. She is the reason story has any continuity. Thank you friend. This is your story as much as mine.**

 **Now... what has happened to all our Sheldons?**

* * *

Sheldon Five was checking everything: The portal, the smoking Death Star brewing the mist of cold fusion reactions, the placement of his wife's Nobel Prize and his welcome sign. The stage was set. Three years had now passed and Sheldon had been itching to check on the progress of his alternate selves. Amy had finally agreed, so long as she was there too. She knew from experience that once he had an idea in his head there was no stopping him. However, to placate her concerns about what may be brought through the portal, as promised three years ago, he intended to use it as a view screen, save for one Sheldon. The only one he wanted to see in the flesh.

Amy watched now with a sense of pride as her husband worked intently on the device, and as she made tea, she thought back to the discussions following the experiment three years ago. Sheldon and Nic, had published a paper jointly, verifying the results, however only through mathematical means. They had not published the fact that a device able to bridge the different universes had actually been invented.

Sheldon had been keen to disclose all. He felt that an ethics committee could be formed, and that the government would establish an agreement which he would insist be called the "Prime Directive" to contend with the ramification of travel to other dimensions.

Once the excitement and thrill that his idea had proved successful had worn off, Nic was concerned that the device could be used for nefarious means. His concerns were supported by his girlfriend, Emma who was a history major. She felt that a committee and agreement would never be enough. The mechanism for interdimensional travel could be used as a powerful weapon, and the research would be confiscated by the government for their 'protection'. Amy agreed with Emma and Nic, reminding Sheldon of the outcome of 'The Raiders of the Lost Ark', a film that she felt was flawed, but she had wisely kept that opinion to herself. It was this and her influence that had finally swayed Sheldon. So the prototype was hidden away until he had been able to convince Amy to allow this second attempt.

Sheldon stood up and admired his work, "This will work nicely, I think! I have set that setting so that not only will we be able to see those with our DNA, but also any combination of the two!" He had positioned the machine so it was pointing at the spot on the couch. He reasoned, it was the best place to catch a Sheldon in a native habitat, so to speak. Sheldon rigged it so he could be in his spot and reflect the image back to the other dimension.

Amy sat next to him and had a sudden thought, "God, I hate to think what drama we could cause if a child saw us!"

"Well if they are as smart as our kids, they will be fine! Now, you sure we got the whole three hours?"

"Yes, your mother and Meemaw promised to be back then with little Leonard. You know I am still amazed that your Meemaw accepted me so readily when I first met her. After all, to her I was really just some girl you knocked up!"

"Oh please Amy! There is a not universe in existence that my Meemaw couldn't love you to bits. Besides…" Sheldon waved his hand at Amy, "I did not knock you up! It was down actually, if you will recall, you were lying on the bed, and I was…"

Amy smirked as she cut him off, "Yes, I remember Sheldon!"

"Good, but I will remind you later again." He gave her a quick wink and a nudge.

"Oh I do love your memory. Now let's see if you remember how to use this thing." Amy took a deep breath, and pulled a strand of her long hair back into her bun, "Let's get this going. I still can't believe we are doing this."

"I know! Isn't it exciting? Now, I hope we get Number One first. Let's hope he finally got back his Amy. He was pretty uptight about the sex thing, so I doubt that we would catch them in their birthday suits, so to speak."

Amy looked horrified, "Really, do you think that's a possibility? Here on your spot. I was more worried about interrupting some silly Sci Fi show or something, not some peep show with naked bodies making the beast with two backs!"

"I hardly think…"

"Oh my, that reminds me…when do we get to see Number Six?" Amy asked with a lilt in her voice and a few too many blinks of her twinkling green eyes for his liking. She gave him a sweet smile as he glared at her and said, "Just because we are going to see him in person, doesn't mean you can ogle him!"

"Fine… Grumpy! I am just curious, that's all! But I just can't imagine anyone being sexier than you, my sweet sexy praying mantis!" Amy batted her eyes at her husband as his glare quickly changed to a self-satisfied smirk.

"Nice save, little lady!"

Amy grinned at her beaming husband, "I hope he found an Amy! Or someone."

"Well, I can't imagine any of me in any universe without you, but remember he was pretty bitter. I don't know. Lots of anger issues with that one. Number Three had high hopes though."

Amy shook with excitement, "Oh I do like him! I hope we get to see Number Three in love's sweet embrace."

Sheldon rolled his eyes, and swallowed as his wife raised her brows suggestively toward him. "Well, let's see if we can leave Number Three till last, shall we? Now…" Sheldon flipped a few switches, "Here we go."

A hum filled the room and rattled the white board situated behind the couch with the welcome message, "Sheldon Cooper presents, "Fun with Interdimensional Travel." Amy had thought it was unnecessary, but Sheldon insisted. The portal opening gave a sound like metal zipper being undone. There was a faint hint of singed copper in the air then a large circle of light appeared over the machine, like an illuminated mirror. On the other side, Amy and Sheldon saw a strange figure on the couch; a blob of beige, and it was moving.

"Oh God, Sheldon! What dimension is that?" Amy's voice echoed through the room, and suddenly a face similar to her own popped out of the undulating mound that Amy finally recognized as a blanket. A copy of Sheldon appeared as well.

Sheldon Five looked at his Amy with guilty horror. "Oh dear lord, we got Number Three!"

Sheldon tried to cover his naked wife whilst yelling at the portal, "I'm not Number Three!"

"Two?"

"NO! Number Four!"

Amy and Sheldon Five looked at each other in disbelief, "NUMBER FOUR!?

As Sheldon Four pulled more of the blanket over his wife, he revealed a rather substantial pot belly, "YEAH! Geez, you coulda waited 20 minutes!"

Amy Four snickered, "More like 45 minutes. Sheldon promised me a massage!" She playfully nudged her husband and finally found her glasses, "Oh god! Is that… Is that them? She suddenly became shy, "All five of them aren't here, are they?" Amy Four looked around the room and gulped.

Amy Five smiled at her copy, "No… Just us! It's a pleasure to meet you. Sheldon… Well, my Sheldon has been dying to see how everyone was doing. I see you are doing rather well!" Amy Five winked at Amy Four who gave her a smug grin.

"Well, we **were** doing rather well till you peeping Tom's showed up!" Sheldon Four groused.

"Still as pleasant as ever, Number Four." Sheldon Five glared at Four who stuck his tongue out.

Amy Five smiled at her counterpart. Though she had prepared herself, it was still a shock to see her double staring back at her. And she saw the same shock reflected in her duplicate's face. The surreal experience was both a blow to the ego that one was not unique, but also a boost of confidence that Amy was with Sheldon in every universe. It was also interesting to see that the other Amy was so different. Besides the shorter hair and lack of clothes, there was one glaring difference: Her large belly.

"I see you are about 8 month along?" Amy Five knew the feeling well: swollen ankles, aching back and the hope that time would speed up so that the baby would arrive. Knowing that they only had a few minutes she made her comments brief. "I can tell by your big belly!"

Sheldon Five eyed Four's rotund figure and whispered to his Amy, "You mean her, right, cause…"

Sheldon Four grumbled, "I HEARD THAT! My husky physique is due to our impending offspring which will soon grace the world with his brilliance."

Amy Four corrected her Sheldon, "Or her brilliance!"

"Right!" Sheldon Four crossed his arms, "SO there! We are eating for two!" Sheldon tried to cover up his own bloated stomach.

Sheldon Five was unable to turn his wide eyed gaze away as he sniggered, "Or Twins!"

Sheldon Four scoffed, "I'm not THAT big! Amy is though!" His Amy smacked him on the belly making a sound like a ripe watermelon being hit, "Though I might have put on a few pounds since Amy got pregnant."

"I think you've matched me pound for pound, actually." Amy smiled at him. She loved that he had put on a little weight and rubbed his belly, which made him giggle.

"Amy! Don't tickle me in front of our interdimensional friends!"

"Fine!" Amy Four quickly moved the subject away from her cuddly husband's weight, "I am due in about three weeks." Amy rubbed her belly and Sheldon Four beamed with pride.

Sheldon Five still couldn't believe that this rotund half naked man was actually Number Four, "Four…I just wow! You really… Just wow!"

Sheldon Four thought he was referring to his getting his Amy back and not his weight gain, "I know! I can't believe she took me back! Though it was 6 long months before she would let me take her on a date."

"Six Months? There is not a universe I could imagine it would take six months to reconcile with Amy! Geez, tough lady!"

"You have no idea." Sheldon Four crossed his arms, and slumped in his spot, shooting a haughty look at his Amy, but she just gave him a lingering smile which caused him to blush up and smile back. It was as if they had their own subtle and unique form of communication.

Sheldon Four then added. "Well, she and I had a lot to work out. It took a while for me to appreciate and understand some things, realize that love means thinking what I can do for her, as opposed to what she can do for me."

"Well after you lost your rag wit Number One and explained to him, in detail I might add, the reasons to marry Amy, then I had little doubt you would get your Amy back."

Amy Five interrupted, "Didn't you say it would be a cold day in hell before that clueless moron would get his Amy back?"

Sheldon Five scoffed and tried to interrupt his wife, "No dear you are mistaken, that was Number One! Definitely Number One." He coughed and glanced back to Sheldon Four, "Well, it's nice to see you smile and I am glad to see our talk helped."

Sheldon Four nodded, "As much as I hate to admit it, it did help. If you see Six… Tell him… Well, thanks."

"I will and the rest too." Sheldon Five's attention was pulled toward the machine that gave a crackle sound, "We better go! Take care of her and remember the scars will heal!"

"Pregnancy scars?"

"NO, the scratch marks Amy will give you during birth!" Amy Five nodded her head and as the image faded from the screen, Sheldon Four looked horrified.

Sheldon Five reset the dials and checked the Cold Fusion Death Star ready for the next visit. He started the machine up again, and switched some dials, "After that last episode, I think we should get the worst over and done with. This should be Sheldon Three…So prepare yourself!"

"If we caught Four like that, what do you think we will get with Number three?"

"Remember our 6th honeymoon?"

Amy's eyes widened, "You mean with the harness and that thing?"

Sheldon Five cut her off, "Yes… well. Let's just say that was tame."

"Oh dear lord!"

"Yes… well. Here we go!"

Sheldon and Amy watched as a familiar figure filled the screen. Again, a mound of fabric undulated on the couch. Sheldon Five said to his Amy, "I thought I set it to a new universe. Is that Four again?"

Sheldon and Amy popped their heads out of the tented blanket and let out a screech. "OH MY LORD!"

Amy and Sheldon Five could tell this glaring Sheldon giving them both the evil eye was in fact a new Sheldon given that they were both nearly half the size as Sheldon Four and his very pregnant Amy. However, this couple was just as naked and none too pleased to be caught no matter who the company.

"In what universe is it okay to drop unannounced into a man's living room while he is discussing…the history of the fork with his new bride?"

"NEW BRIDE? It's been three years, Number Three and you JUST got married?"

"I'm not Three! I'm ONE!"

"ONE?" Amy Five blurted out as Sheldon Five stared in disbelief at One's state of dress, "Well I see you got over your aversion to intimacy."

Amy One beamed a wide smile, "Boy howdy, did he ever! As a matter of fact…"

Sheldon One cut her off, "Amy, please, Number Five doesn't want to hear about our exploits!"

Amy Five nodded, "Well I DO!" At which point Amy One winked at Amy Five then raised her brows suggestively. Sheldon One tried to cover his bride up with as much of the blanket as he could, whilst still preserving his own modesty.

Sheldon Five changed the subject, "So One! I see your 'step back' with Amy worked and she wasn't too much of a bother for you!"

Amy One snorted, "A bother?"

Sheldon One gulped, "Um… No! I took the appropriate amount of time and gave her the space she needed." Sheldon One smiled, but Amy One shot him a murderous look.

"Appropriate amount of time? You were over at my house 11 hours later! You didn't leave me alone for a week straight! Then when Leonard wanted to move out you wanted me to be your roommate. Not to mention..."

Sheldon One quickly interrupted her and smiled at Sheldon Five saying, "See? I took all your advice! Never let them think they can live without you!"

"That's terrible advice." Amy Five glared at her husband.

Sheldon Five put his head in his hands, "And it was never given! Oh well, at least you worked it out. Any children in your life? We had another little boy 2 ½ years ago. Haven't seen Number Two yet, but Number Four has one on the way!"

Sheldon One's face burned with jealousy, "I can't believe he beat me to punch! HE IS GOING TO HAVE kids!"

Amy One smiled and tapped her husband's knee, "Don't worry! We are doing everything we can!" They had been trying since they got married over 3 months ago. Amy had insisted on a large wedding that would put the rest of their group to shame. She had planned it for over a year with Raj's help and it had been spectacular. Sheldon One was keen to have children as soon as possible. Now that she was married, Amy One was also ready for a child and they were taking every opportunity to insure they would have one soon, but Sheldon One was starting to become discouraged. His comment three years ago about Amy's eggs likely to be spoiled with age had been said in anger and hurt, but he worried that it was true none-the-less. However remembering the outcome of the last time he made that remark he refrained from mentioning his concerns.

He let out a sigh, "Yes… but I don't know how long I can keep up this schedule of three times a day! I never sleep! Just hour after hour of none stop coitus! Even on hot days!"

Amy Five turned to her Sheldon stunned, "THREE TIMES A DAY!"

"Yes, on the slow days!" Amy One shrugged, then added quickly to justify her actions, "I read it's the ONLY way to be sure!"

"I never did see that article by the way." Sheldon One narrowed his eyes to his blushing wife.

Amy One reddened up, "Oh… I have it somewhere…" She looked up at the ceiling and then winked to Amy Five who returned it with a smirk.

Sheldon Five turned back to his counterpart and said, "Well, we just saw Number Four and he was eating for two. He got his Amy back, and she was ripe with child. Big as a house! Though not as big as he was."

Sheldon One couldn't believe it, "Skinny, ol'bitter Sheldon? Got fat? I can't image us FAT!"

Sheldon Five frowned thoughtfully, "Maybe he is eating sweets. You know how that hops us up! I think he is putting away too many red vines."

"I could go for some Red Vines." Amy One piped in the conversation, "Oh and some lovely curried creamed spinach! What is that called?"

Two Sheldons and one smiling Amy Five answered, "Palak Paneer!"

"God, that sounds SOOO good! Let's order some in!"

Sheldon Five gave a coy grin, as did his Amy, "Well, Number One, I don't think you will have to worry about your lack of sleep anymore!"

"Oh, yes he will!" Amy Five offered. Sheldon Five could hear the machine change gears and the portal flickered. "Good luck to you, Number One! I'll let you get back to your session!"

Sheldon One bit his bottom lip and scooted closer to his wife smiling, "It really is the ONLY way to be sure, right, Amy?"

"RIGHT! BYE!" Amy One pulled the blanket back their heads and as the image faded, Sheldon Five heard Sheldon One's voice, "You crafty Vixen, you!"

After a quick break for some red vines and other assorted sweets, the couple was ready for their next visit. The machine fired up and once again, a new scene developed in the portal. Amy shielded her eyes expecting another naked blanket clad sweaty love fest, but instead, she was pleasantly surprised to find a couple similar to themselves quietly staring off in space, at what they assumed was a television. The other couple's attention had to be grabbed by a clearing of Sheldon Five's throat. Finally, the couple looked toward the portal and gasped.

"Oh my word! Is that… That's… Oh dear lord!" Annoyed, the other Sheldon paused the show, rose off the couch and approached the portal. Sheldon Five heard him grumble, "Only another universe Sheldon would interrupt the season finale!"

His Amy hushed him, "Don't worry, its recorded…"

"Good thing too!" Sheldon looked over the portal and tried to put his hand through, but Sheldon Five corrected him.

"Sorry, number Two… It's not.."

"I'm not Two! I'm Number Three!"

Amy Five looked at her husband skeptically, "You said Number three would be the one most likely to be caught humping like monkeys coiled together in love's sweet embrace!"

Sheldon Five shrugged, "Well… perhaps we caught him on an off day!"

Sheldon Three grumbled his reply, "We don't have coitus all the time!"

Amy Three piped in, "Just most of the time! If you had come about an hour ago, oh boy!"

"Shh!" Sheldon Three hushed her, and sat back in his spot to holding her hand, and hopefully her saucy tongue. Looking back at the portal he added, "You know, you are the ONLY person I would pause the season Finale of Firefly for, I hope you realize that!"

Sheldon Five popped up like a jack in the box, "Season Finale!? What happened?"

Amy Three glared at Sheldon Five, "WE DON"T KNOW YET!" She rolled her eyes and whispered to her husband, "God, I thought you said he was smart."

Sheldon Three leaned towards his Amy and said under his breath, "Well, not as smart as **your** Sheldon, dear."

Amy Three smiled, "Of course not."

Sheldon Three turned back to the portal to see Sheldon Five cross his arms and frown, but ignoring the glare Sheldon Three asked, "Anyway, how are you, Number Five?"

"How did you know it was me!?"

Sheldon Three snorted in derision, "Oh please, who else could it possibly be?"

Sheldon Five gave a smug grin, "Indeed." Then he noticed a bullet proof case on the shelf behind Sheldon Three encasing an all too familiar Bronze medallion. "I see you got your Nobel Prize after all, Number Three!"

"Yes, and as a matter of fact, my dear wife here might have one on her own soon! Although the ceremony would coincide with Serenity Con, so I don't know if we could make it…"

"WE ARE GOING IF I GET A NOBEL PRIZE, SHELDON!" Amy Three snapped, but her Sheldon just tapped her knee.

"Well, let's see if you win first, shall we?"

"Ugh… Just because I missed the first two minutes of your speech when you won, you will never let me live it down."

Sheldon Three crossed his arms, and pouted, "How often does your husband get a Nobel Prize?"

"BERNADETTE WENT INTO LABOR!"

"That is not as unique as getting a Nobel! She pops out kids like a toaster!"

"You are nominated again this year!"

"And I hope you won't be too busy this time!" Sheldon Three looked away from his wife and jutted out his bottom lip.

Amy Three crossed her arms in defiance, "Well I just might be mister, if you don't change that attitude!"

Sheldon Five and his wife watched the discussion going on in front of them as if they were watching a ping pong match hoping they wouldn't see the couple come to blows. But soon the tone changed and they began to feel even more uncomfortable.

"There is NO doubt you'll be busy getting your prize and let's see how much of your speech I can see!" Sheldon Three stared back at her, but he could see a smile blossom on her face, which he couldn't help but return.

Amy Three softened her tone and batted her eyes at her husband, "Do you really think I will get it, Sheldon?"

Sheldon Three blurted out, "Of Course! You're brilliant!" He let out a sigh and whispered to her, "There is no one more deserving." Sheldon Three put his hand on Amy's face and ran it down her neck, "And I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Nothing will keep me from seeing you get the second one! I promise! Not even if Bernadette drops the kid on the street! I will leave her there and rush to your side! Besides, I owe you for … you know…" Amy winked at him, and Sheldon blushed up.

He gulped, "You mean… the promise you made to me that night?"

"Yep!" Amy Three licked her top lip slowly and sucked in her bottom lip with a slight nibble.

Sheldon and Amy Five continued to watch the whole conversation in awe, apparently forgotten by their doppelgangers.

Sheldon Three started to stutter, "You'd really wear that one? With the boots and the whole…"

"Yes… as a matter of fact, I have already bought it. I was going to save it for later…"

"YOU DID!?" Sheldon Three gulped and looked at Sheldon Five, "Umm… we gotta go! Bye!" Sheldon Three grabbed his Amy by the hand and rushed off screen before Sheldon Five could say a word.

Sheldon Five turned to his wife and shrugged, "See? He's a savage!"

"I guess so!"

Sheldon Five readied the machine once more. "At least we know it will be Number Two! He was the most like me! He had known his Amy the longest."

"He was the one with the pregnant Amy? They should have a 3 year old by now."

"2 years and 10 months. There should be no problems. Nic and Marie were a dream at that age, as is Leonard!"

"God thing Leonard doesn't take after his namesake, he would be whining all the time."

Sheldon looked confused, "Leonard Nimoy didn't whine!"

"WE NAMED HIM AFTER LEONARD! YOUR BEST FRIEND!"

"Let's keep letting him think that, shall we? Though, our Leonard does tend to chase after the blonds at the day care, so who knows?"

Amy added, "Still, I heard some kids can be unruly…."

"Not our offspring! Our DNA could never produce an unruly child, in ANY universe." Sheldon gave Amy a smile as he flipped the switch. The sound of screaming and banging filled the air as they saw a red figure whoosh past the screen. Then a small figure clad in purple ran back. Sheldon could hear his own voice over the banging sounds.

Sheldon Five whispered to his Amy, "I stand corrected."

Sheldon and Amy heard the following tirade in an all too familiar voice:

"Raj! Stop that right now! Don't pick that up. Don't you dare! I'm telling you put that down, that is one of daddy's collectables, it is not a toy! Don't put Spiderman with Bat Man, they aren't even in the same universe! NO! NOT THAT! That's Daddy's Nobel! I knew I should have locked that up! Now, Raj… come here! Mommy is coming home today and we want everything nice and clean and tidy don't we… RAJ! Oh lordy, I knew naming you after him was a bad idea! Why did I have to name that asteroid for Amy?! RAJ! STOP EATING THAT! Never should have given him Fruity Pebbles!"

Sheldon Two, wearing his same Red Flash t-shirt as last time, crossed back and forth in front of the portal chasing his offspring, but was too distracted to notice the jaw dropped visitors on the screen till Raj pointed at the portal and smiled, "MOMMY! MOMMY GOT LONG HAIR!"

Sheldon Two looked up and saw Sheldon and Amy staring nervously at him. Picking up a now stationary Raj, he walked to the portal with an exhausted grin. Raj looked exactly like Nic, even down to the green almond shaped eyes. The smears of chocolate across his chubby face told Amy he had been allowed into a candy stash.

Sheldon Two gave a half smile and let out a sigh of relief, "WOW! I am so glad you came across, Number Five! I have so many questions!"

"I told you, number Two! The Prime Directive prohibits me from telling you any science secrets!"

"SCIENCE? PFFFT! I need father advice! Amy is helping Penny with the birth of her child. She is on location in Canada and decided to drop a kid during the hiatus of her TV show. It's been two weeks, and I am going to lose my precious mind!" Sheldon Two rattled off questions like an auctioneer, "How do you get them to sleep? Why won't he eat green food? How do you get their socks on before they pull off their shirt? Why does he only want round food? When do they sleep through the night?"

Sheldon Five heard the machine crackle and he knew he didn't have long. "Well you see, number Two…" He was about to go into a lecture about the best way to rear a child, but Amy Five cut him off.

"CALL HOWARD!"

"Howard? What does he know about children?"

"He has an uncanny ability to get them to sleep! He just starts telling them engineering stories, and poof! The kid is out! Works every time!"

"THANKS! I must say, Amy Five, you look… wow! Just stunning."

Amy Five blushed and tipped her head with shy smile. Sheldon Two kept on staring, and it was not going unnoticed by Sheldon Five who cocked his head and asked Sheldon Two, "How long has your Amy been away again?"

"Two long weeks! Speaking of which, Amy! Your hair is so… long. I can see one strand gently gliding down your swan like neck, like melting chocolate on an ice cream cone… and your…" Before he could say another word, Sheldon Five turned off the machine and Amy Five glared at him.

"Why did you do that?"

"He has his own Amy! Next he will start wooing you with statistics and algorithms on your perfect parabolic curves! And I thought Number Three was a silvered tongued devil. Two's Amy better come soon! That boy is doomed!"

"Well, I thought he was charming!"

"Exactly…I knew I should have done this on my own!"

"Now now, my sweet baboo! None of that! We have one more Sheldon, and we need to prepare. You get the other machine ready while I fix my hair."

"Your hair is fine, Amy!"

"I want to look good for company!"

"Not too good, I hope!" Sheldon glared at his wife and fussin' over her hair, as he would say.

"Only for you, my hormone raging Stud Muffin!" Amy skipped down the hall with Sheldon yelling after her:

"I still don't know what means!" Sheldon grumbled to himself, "I knew those Yankee girls were bat crap crazy!"

Sheldon and Amy prepared for the next visit, but this one was special. As Amy made some tea, Sheldon turned the white board that had the welcome sign around to reveal the circuitry. He had to get the setting right.

"Are you sure you can get him, and not the other ones?"

"I'm sure. I calculated the last time, and pinpointed each one specifically."

"Then why didn't you know which of the other Sheldons you were getting just now?"

"It's the portal device. It's not as accurate. This one will get him for sure and hopefully… you too!" Sheldon corrected himself, "Well, his you, you know what I mean."

"I really hope so, too." Amy was a romantic when it came to Sheldon Six's story and wanted to see him with his Amy as much as any romance novel she had ever read. To her, a Sheldon finding an Amy was the ultimate justification that they belonged together for even across the universe and dimensions, they were meant to be.

Sheldon let out a sigh, "We can only try."

Sheldon and Amy decided to stand to greet these guests. The machine hummed and then a snap like a whip and electric crackle.

Amy squeezed her husband's hand and whispered as the couple before them snapped into view, "You did it!"

"Was there was any doubt?" Sheldon Five turned his attention to the shocked couple before them, "Hello Number Six! Good to see you!" Sheldon Five nodded to Sheldon Six's Amy, "Still a doubting Thomas, Number Six?"

Sheldon Six held onto his wife's hand and let out a sigh. "Not any more…" Unable to hold back his smile as he looked down at his own Amy whose jaw had dropped, "Not any more…"

"Well, I had no doubt you are just as smart as all of us, even if you didn't believe in String theory."

Sheldon Six quipped back, "I believe it…" then adding with a cocky grin, "…and proved it. You ain't the only one, Professor."

Sheldon Six raised his head in pride and Sheldon Five, almost in a fatherly tone said, "Good for you! Also, I see you got your Amy. Number Three will be so pleased, he asked about you, as did Number Four." Sheldon Five, wearing the same blue 73 shirt approached them. Still holding his hand, Amy Six moved slightly behind her man, but she felt his muscles relax as he held out his hand for other Sheldon to shake.

Amy Five looked over to the other Amy, who had not taken her eyes off her and said with a grin, "Strange, isn't it?" Then moving moved toward the kitchen island she picked up the cup of hot tea she had prepared for her opposite number, hoping that this would help calm her nerves. Holding the cup out to Amy Six she asked, "Did you ever think in the back of your mind that he wasn't telling the truth about this?"

Amy Six glared at her, "Never." She looked at the cup with a raised brow.

Amy Five set the cup on the table, in front of the middle of the couch and smiled, ''Good for you."

Sheldon Six took Amy's hand and moved toward the desk chair, but Sheldon Five stopped him.

"No sir… You never did get to sit in the spot. Now, it's your turn." He gestured towards the hallowed seat and Sheldon Six, with a coy grin, sat in the spot with his Amy seated beside him. Sheldon Six could feel that this spot was much more worn than his, but it still had a perfect curve to hug the coccyx.

"I got me a couch too." Sheldon Six said with a twang while he felt the worn leather under his hand as if he was touching a museum piece.

Sheldon Five sat in the beige chair and Amy Five sat next to Amy Six who was eyeing her double with suspicion, not too pleased with how this long haired woman was looking at her sweet baboo. She knew that her Sheldon didn't work out as much as he used to, but he was still as ripped with muscles as the day she had met him. They had removed the exercise bar from the doorway of the nursery and he had replaced his exercise routine with a weight set on the landing. The bar had been moved to the closet of the bedroom. It was still used, but rarely for exercise.

However Amy Five's lingering stares were of surprise that her counterpart could be attracted to such a muscled man, unlike the svelte blue eyed gazelle sat opposite them.

After the long looks and awkward smiles died down, Sheldon Five spoke, "I am sorry to pull you away. We only have a little time this go around."

Sheldon Six smiled and in a slight Texas drawl said kindly, "That's alright. It's… good to see ya."

"Good to see you, too, and especially…" Sheldon Five smiled at Amy Six, "Especially good to see you."

Now it was Amy Five's turn to glare at her husband. It was one thing to see another Amy on a screen or portal, and to receive looks of fascination from another Sheldon, but to see her Sheldon seemingly fascinated by another Amy was something else entirely. Interrupting the staring contest she said, "Sheldon… I think…" and she nodded toward the hallway.

Sheldon Five said, "Oh right… sorry. Look Six. You are the only one I could bring here this time. I checked in with the rest. And of course, since they are all Sheldon Coopers, they are doing great. Even clueless Number One."

"Did he ever grovel to his Amy, and pull his head out of his…" Sheldon stopped his foul language when he looked at Amy Five who looked scandalized, "I mean… realize how wonderfully patient his Amy was?"

"Better, he got her back and they are married now." Sheldon Five looked at Amy Six's hand, "I see he's not the only one." Sheldon Five winked and continued, "Even Number Four got his Amy back, admittedly after much begging. He said to say thank you for the talking to you gave him."

"I had no doubt for that boy. Not as thick as number One, but still…" Sheldon Six smiled, "Not everyone can be geniuses about women."

Amy Six snorted and said with a smirk, "Didn't you get dating advice from Penny's ex-boyfriend who turned out to be Menu salesman."

Sheldon Six glowered, "Well, I knew enough to get married to you within 32 days of meeting you!"

She nudged him, "You're right. You really are a genius."

Sheldon Six turned back to Sheldon Five with a proud smile, "See… perfect Amy."

Sheldon Five smiled at his own wife, "Sure, beefy. You keep thinkin' that."

Amy Six noticed the pictures peppered around the familiar room and remembered the story of Sheldon Five's children. "You have two children?" She asked as she looked around the room like a museum. It didnt have that homey touch Six's home did. In fact, it looked as if no children lived there at all.

"Three now. I had one more after the boys meeting."

Amy Six smiled with pride, "I have one. A girl."

Amy Five perked up and with a smile said, "Is she a genius like her parents? Nic was solving his father's equations at 7 and Marie, well… she translated my Nobel speech into Chinese for me last week!"

Amy sipped her tea and smiled benignly over the rim, "No… not a genius…I don't track her accomplishments like a resume. She is only a little over 2 year old. She is just… Just perfect in every way."

Sheldon tapped his wife on her knee, "Just like her momma."

"Well, Six I'm glad you found your Amy."

Sheldon perked up and admitted with pride, "Yep. And the guys too! I'm friends with all of them, even Bert!"

Sheldon Five gave a confused look, "Who's Bert?"

Sheldon Six laughed, "Now you know how I felt three years ago."

"I guess!" Sheldon Five smiled and scooted to the edge of the chair and lowered his tone, "Anyway, I know, out of all of us, you kinda got a raw deal. I mean, Number three had no Star Wars, but you…well…" Sheldon Five swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to say, "You…well… mom… ya know…"

Sheldon Six took a deep breath cut him off, "I'm okay. Amy helped me go through momma's things. I found a video of her singing soft kitty to me when I was sick with strep. Found her old diaries even…."

A lilting voice with a hint of a familiar twang came from down the hall, "You didn't read those, did ya, Shelly? Cause what happens in the back of a truck with strawberry wine is best forgotten."

Sheldon Six snapped his head toward the figure walking toward him, a phantom. A small woman in a flowered dress and warm smile came out from the back room. She timidly walked toward Sheldon Six who automatically stood up when he saw her. Her face had lines of age, and her hair was a tad thin, with streaks of silver, but it was still Mary Cooper. Still his momma.

Sheldon Five stood up to introduce the woman Sheldon Six had not seen in 27 years, and his once strong body almost crumbled as he saw her smile again.

"Number Six, I want you to meet… mom…"

Sheldon Six's bottom lip quivered and his voice cracked like an adolescent boy, "Momma?"

Mary smiled and nodded to Sheldon Five before looking again at Sheldon Six, "Yes, hon. Well, another me… I mean, your… Oh fiddle sticks. Jesus help me… I don't understand this. Come on here, baby." She held out her arms to him but he couldn't move. Mary came toward him and with a sweet smile and tender touch, cupped his face and gave him a gentle tap on his cheek. He collapsed into her arms like imploding reaction.

Mary held her son who was not her son in her arms as she hadn't done since he was little boy. His head was on her shoulder and his arms were curled around her waist. It was the same way she had held him when he needed comfort when PopPop died, when he had been teased by Billy Sparks or his when trip to meet Wil Wheaton had been ruined. This time however the boy was a man, seemingly strong of body, but with a fractured heart.

Both Amys looked at each other and silently moved to the kitchen to fix a pot of tea while Mary Cooper hummed and rocked Sheldon Six back and forth. Finally, with a sniffle and a large sigh, Sheldon Six stood up straight and choked out one sentence before he lost his voice again, "I missed you momma."

Mary ran her hand down his face, and said with a sweet smile, "I know, baby."

"I guess I can't say you're my momma. I know better, it's just…" Sheldon Six looked at her again and then shook a little. "I know better."

Mary held out her hand for Sheldon Six to take, "I'm sorry about your past. Shelly told me all about it and I just don't know what to say. But I know something that you may not know."

Sheldon Six wiped his eyes with his sleeve, and said with a sniffle, "What?"

"I know that your Mary…Your momma, was always proud of you. She would be proud to see what you have become and…" Mary turned toward his Amy in the kitchen, "and what you found. You found love when it was hard to grasp. You did it, baby. On your own and even after your daddy, god rest his soul, raised you without me. I know she'd be sorry she missed so much of your life. But I also know, without a doubt, she is looking after you. She ain't gone honey. She is just in a different location, like I am, but she is watching you. Loving you, and make no mistake, telling everyone who'd listen in the afterlife what a perfect son she has ..."

Both Amy's watched the whole scene from the kitchen. And with tears streaming down her face, Amy Five smiled and said to no one in particular, but loud enough for Amy Five to hear, "Just perfect.."

It was just under 27 minutes, but it was long enough for Sheldon Six to hear all the stories of his alternate mother's history that he had missed. When the machine crackled, Sheldon Five nodded to Sheldon Six and his Amy to indicate that the visit would be over soon. Sheldon Six and his Amy just enough time to hug their counterparts and receive a final hug from Mary, before they disappeared in a flash.

Mary let out a long sigh and gave a slight smile to her Sheldon, "That was nice of you, Shelly. You were thinkin' of someone else. Even enough to share me, which ya never wanted to do with friends or even your siblings."

"This was different mom. He was me."

"Well, I guess so, but… I'm just… I don't know what to think. I just wanted him to stay here, I wanted to hold him a while longer. He had no one there. I just…"

Mary sank down onto the couch with Amy next to her, holding her. She didn't hear Meemaw come in until she felt her hand on her shoulder. Mary looked up and tried to compose herself when she heard her grandson's voice, "Mini Meemaw! Don't cry." Little Leonard came over to Mary, and scrambling onto the couch he moved to Mary's lap, and gently stroked her cheek wiping away some of the tears that remained.

Sheldon and Amy had timed their screened visits with the other Sheldons and had asked Mary to arrive at the apartment in time to meet Number Six. Meemaw, who had been told of the other Sheldons and especially about the plan for Number Six, had offered to keep Leonard at the park so Mary and Number Six could talk.

Though Meemaw did not really understand everything that Sheldon had told her, she did not need to see the pained look on her daughter's face to know that she hurt for the young man she had just met. Meemaw's own heart constricted at the thought of her own Moonpie alone and drifting for all those years.

However she put on a brave smile as she patted Mary's shoulder and said "You lost your parent, too Mary. You did alright."

"But I was older, and I had you and my children. He had no-one, I left him. I Just… I shoulda."

But Meemaw was having none of it, "That is foolishness and you know it. You didn't do anything! It was that Mary who got in the car. It was just one turn different."

"That could have been me. That was almost me!" Mary argued.

"But it wasn't! Now come on!" Meemaw looked down at Little Leonard who was getting antsy, "Let's take Leonard to get an ice cream or some candy."

Both Sheldon and Amy bellowed out, "NO CANDY!"

Mary nodded, and gently standing Leonard on his feet she stood up and smiled, "You're right, but after that I know exactly where we are going! I have a new son who needs the good Lord's guidance and support." And though Mary did her upmost to try and persuade Sheldon and Amy to accompany them to church they managed to resist the offer.

After the threesome had left, Sheldon was just about to put the machine away, when a sneaky grin appeared on his face, "Hey, let's do a wild card! Just see who's out there! I bet we can get a Sheldon who actually has robot minions!"

Amy grinned at her husband, "I thought you made fun of Number One when he asked if you had those!"

"I did! But that doesn't mean I don't want to see them! Let's try! Come on… Amy! PLEASE!" Sheldon gave Amy those soulful eyes that she could never resist.

"OKAY! Just once! Perhaps we will find an Amy who plays the harp for the Philharmonic!"

"OR maybe we are comic book heroes!"

Amy shook her head, "Sheldon… that's silly!" Then she asked with a curious smile, "But… what powers would I have?"

"Hmm… reading minds for sure, although I think you already have that now! Perhaps power over monkeys, oh and a stunning green outfit!"

Amy clapped her hands together gleefully, "Oh that would be marvelous! You could… be well…" Amy tapped her chin to think, "I can't think what would make you better…"

Sheldon beamed at his wife, "You got that right… except…" Sheldon nearly jumped with excitement, "Oh I got it, a Sheldon who has four arms!"

"Four arms!? Why on earth would you want that?"

Sheldon bit his bottom lip and said with a coy grin, "Well, besides the obvious in being able to play video games while typing my memoirs, there are other reasons…" Sheldon raised his brows and Amy pushed him away with a playful tease.

"I think Sheldon Three has returned!"

"As long as it not Sheldon Two, I think we are safe." Sheldon fixed the machine, "Now, let's see who is out there!"

Sheldon turned on the machine and the hum filled the room. Sheldon and Amy wore beaming smiles till they saw the image that appeared in front of them. Seated on the couch, was a familiar couple of faces, however that was all that was similar.

Sheldon Seven, as he was now called, had long unruly hair, tied in a loose ponytail. His torn jeans and worn boots could have been forgiven, but the T-shirt with the words, "GEOLOGY ROCKS" blazoned across it was too much. Amy was just as horrified when she saw her counterpart sporting a tight fitting strapless sundress that looked like a rainbow had thrown up on it, watering some exotic plant she realized later was cannabis. Amy Seven had long dreadlocks and looked as if she hadn't bathed in a week. Amy swore she could smell the smoking bong on the coffee table.

After a nervous wave, Amy reached over and flicked off the machine, just as Sheldon had done to poor Sheldon Two. However Sheldon was relieved to say the least.

"OH dear lord! How is that possible!?"

"I don't know, but you are NOT putting that thing on random again!"

"Agreed!"

* * *

 **Dear Readers. I am about to choke up, but in all honesty, i want to thank you for all your support during this saga. Its been a rough year for our ship. We have the best and worst for our ship and no matter what, you guys still reviewed. You stuck with me through writers block, through each and every one of these stories that I have tried to keep connected.**

 **As this is the last chapter of a story arc that took me through four stories, and it so complicated, I really want to know what you think. Did you like the conclusion? Who was your favorite? I just want to say thank you so much for your support. Some days, I feel I am mad for pumping out these scribbles, but you guys make it all worth it. Thanks again!**


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